Parkwind has installed the first turbine at its 257MW Arcadis Ost 1 wind farm in the German Baltic Sea.
The milestone is the first time a new floating installation method developed by the company, installation contractor Heerema Marine Contractors and hardware supplier Vestas has been used.
To speed up the installation process, assembly and lifting operations are happening in parallel. One of the Thialf’s two main cranes lifts the pre-assembled turbine-tower to the foundation, while the second main crane is used to pre-assemble the nacelle and blades in parallel.
“The pre-assembly process on board the Thialf ensures full control thereby guaranteeing a safe and highly reliable installation environment,” said Parkwind.
“This innovative method has two main advantages. The first is zero seabed interaction especially important in areas of significant water depth or challenging soil conditions. The second advantage is a shorter installation cycle,” added Parkwind.
Eric Antoons, co-CEO of Parkwind, said: “The industry often talks about innovation, and this is what our teams at Parkwind mean by it.
“Together with our partners we create solutions for challenges that seemed impossible to overcome in the past. The floating installation method is the perfect example of what it takes to set new industry standards, and new standards mean new opportunities for offshore wind globally.
“Arcadis Ost 1 will soon be one of the world’s most advanced wind farms, thanks to its design, components, and installation method, all brought together by exceptionally talented teams. Now, with the first turbine installed, we trust that the project teams will successfully install the remaining 26 turbines.”
Arcadis Ost 1 is Europe’s first wind farm equipped with Vestas’ V174-9.5MW turbines.
The installation campaign started in June 2022 and wind farm’s final commissioning is planned in 2023.