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First wind turbines put at sea for Offshore Windpark Q7

5 June 2007

Haarlem, 5 June 2007 – The components for the first 20 turbines for Offshore Windpark Q7 have arrived in IJmuiden harbour. During the weekend the first wind turbines were installed at sea, which marks the start of the next important phase in the construction of the wind farm. The manufacturer, Vestas, has been delivering the towers, blades and nacelles from Denmark since early April. The final work on the wind turbines is being done in IJmuiden, after which the components will be shipped to the windpark. According to the current plan, the supply of components by road to IJmuiden will take until early August. All 60 turbines are expected to be installed and ready for testing in September.

Transport to sea and installation
A few days before they are taken out to sea, the towers are placed upright for the final assembly work. Then the tower, the nacelle with two blades already attached to it and the third, still unattached blade are loaded onto a ship by a large crane. This ship, the Sea Energy, has space for the components of two turbines. The Sea Energy can sail under its own power and, when it reaches its destination, will fix itself to the seabed using four jacks (legs). The vessel does not lift itself above the water, but stabilizes so that the installation can be carried out properly. Weather permitting, these activities will continue seven days a week, 24 hours a day.

Wind turbine type V80 - 2.0 MW
Proven technology is essential for Offshore Windpark Q7, as it is located further from the coast (23 km) and in deeper water (19 - 24 m) than any other offshore wind farm. Partly for this reason the Vestas V80-2.0 MW turbine has been selected. The V80 has been operational since 2000, and more than 2,000 have already been installed around the world, both onshore and offshore. With these turbines the wind farm can run continuously.

The wind turbines consist of the following three main components: a tower of 42 metres height weighing 105 tonnes, a 65-tonne nacelle and a rotor holding three blades. A tower of this height can be made in a single piece, but for road transport such a length is unprecedented. The diameter of the rotor (hub plus rotor blades) is 80 metres; the weight of the rotor including the blades is 37 tonnes. The turbines will be placed on the transition pieces, which rise 15 metres above sea level. More information about the turbines is available here.

Construction progress Q7
The construction of the project started in mid-2006. Since then, the foundations and the transition pieces have been installed and the process of laying land and sea cables has been set in motion. The offshore high-voltage substation has also been installed. Wind park Q7 is scheduled for delivery in March 2008.