Iberdrola begins geotechnical phase of 476 MW offshore wind project in Germany

Iberdrola has announced that it has begun the geotechnical phase of the Baltic Eagle offshore wind project, which will have a capacity of 476 MW. The company has contracted Fugro, a global specialist in offshore prospecting, to carry out an exhaustive geotechnical and geophysical investigation of the project site in order to obtain the most complete information possible on the conditions of the area.

The investigation that has just begun includes, first of all, a study of the location and removal of possible unexploded ordnance. The programme for drilling boreholes and geotechnical investigations of the seabed will then begin, using state-of-the-art equipment and techniques. 

In addition, a number of laboratory tests will be carried out in accordance with the requirements established by the German planning authority, Bundesamt für Seeschiffahrt und Hydrographie (BSH).

The data obtained by Fugro will determine the design of the foundations on which both the wind turbines and the substation will be built. 

The studies contracted are valued at more than EUR10 million (US$11.6 million). The offshore work is expected to be completed by March 2019 and the last technical report to be submitted by the end of June 2019.

The Baltic Eagle project will be part of an 850 MW offshore wind complex, the largest offshore wind power project in the Baltic Sea. The complex will save 1.65 million tons of CO₂ emissions each year and supply the power equivalent to 45% of the total consumption of the Federal State of Mecklemburg-Western Pomerania.