Construction starts at 752 MW Dutch offshore wind farm

Ørsted has started constructing its first offshore wind farm in the Netherlands by installing the first foundations at the 752 MW Borssele 1 & 2 offshore wind farm.

Borssele 1 & 2 is located 22 kilometers off the coast of the Dutch province of Zeeland, in the south-west of the Netherlands. At water depths ranging from 14 to 39.7 meters, a total of 94 monopile foundations will be installed at the wind farm. Starting in April, the 94 Siemens Gamesa 8 MW wind turbines will be installed. The wind turbines will generate enough electricity to meet the needs of around one million domestic households.

The monopiles and transition pieces for Borssele 1 & 2 have been fabricated by Sif, EEW SPC, EEW OSB and Bladt Industries. All foundations will be installed by DEME.

Henrik Egholm, EPC Director for Borssele 1 & 2, says: "It's great that the installation has started now, according to plan. We're very well on track with the construction of the wind farm. Borssele 1 & 2 will be operational by the end of this year."

Jan Wind, Senior Project Manager for Borssele 1 & 2, elaborates: "The first monopile installed was also the heaviest and tallest on the wind farm, weighing 1,188 tons and measuring 76 meters. The diameter at the bottom of the foundation is 8.5 meters, wide enough to hold a football goal."

Steven Engels, General Manager for the Netherlands, says: "Borssele 1 & 2 will be our first offshore wind farm in the Netherlands and is an important step in the Dutch government's ambitious shift towards green energy. Once completed, Borssele 1 & 2 will be the largest offshore wind farm in the Netherlands, able to supply renewable power to around one million Dutch households."