EnBW Flags Off the Largest German Offshore Wind Farm
Germany's largest offshore wind farm to date, EnBW Baltic 2, has been commissioned by EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG.
This wind farm was constructed as a joint venture between EnBW, Macquarie Capital,
Hochtief Solutions, GeoSea and Nordsee Naßbagge.
The turbines have been installed on monopiles for water depth up to 35m, while three-legged jackets have been used where waters are deeper. The electricity from the turbines will be transmitted to a substation, where it is transformed to a higher voltage and supplied to the mainland.
This $1 billion project is capable of generating 288MW, which will provide electricity to 340,000 German households annually, while reducing 900,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
Erwin Sellering, Minister-President of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern province said "The expansion of offshore wind energy is crucially important for the major national challenge of the Germany's vision for long-term structural change in energy systems, as wind turbines at sea are almost capable of delivering base load power and continue to generate electricity when the wind conditions everywhere else are calm.”
"The commissioning of Baltic 2, the second wind farm off the German Baltic Sea coast, is therefore a very important event for us in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and for Germany as a whole," he added.
Baltic 2 is expected to have a life cycle of about 20 years, and is a part of EnBW 2020 strategy, aimed at doubling the share of power generated from renewable energy by 2020. Germany's first commercial offshore wind farm in the Baltic sea, ENBW Baltic 1 has been operational since May 2nd 2011.
Source: www.maritime-executive.com