Construction of the Hornsea Project One is closing in on completion
In the heart of the North Sea, a groundbreaking offshore wind farm is taking shape, marking a significant step in Britain's transition towards renewable energy. This is Project One, the world's first wind farm to exceed 1 GW, with a capacity of 1.2 GW.
Located 120 kilometers east of the coastal town of Grimsby, Project One covers an area of approximately 407 square kilometers. The project, now completed, consists of 174 individual Siemens Gamesa SWT-7.0-154 turbines, each capable of generating up to 7 MW of power depending on wind conditions.
The Siemens wind turbine used in the project is 190 meters high and has a diameter of 154 meters. The SWT-7.0-154 wind turbine, based on the D7 platform, is a gearless design specifically developed for use in offshore parks. It is equipped with 3 blades made of glass-fiber reinforced epoxy, each with a length of 75 meters.
The SWT-7.0-154 wind turbine has a rotor diameter of 154 meters and generates a power output of up to 7,000 kilowatts. To limit its impact on the power grid, the design allows for reduced rotor speed at high wind speeds.
The construction cost of Project One was around €2.4 billion, with Ørsted selling half of it to the Global Infrastructure Partners fund for approximately €5 billion. Each turbine is equipped with a remote diagnostics system for performance data and condition monitoring, and sensors are located at critical points to measure vibrations and provide information on material aging.
Britain's commitment to wind power is evident in its plans for the coming decade. Projects like Hornsea Two, Three, and Four, along with various smaller onshore and offshore wind farms, are set to phase out fossil fuels. The world's largest offshore wind farm, as of now, stands 120 kilometers off the coast of Yorkshire.
Siemens Gamesa, the manufacturer of the turbines used in Project One, has models with up to 193 meters in diameter and 10,000 kilowatts of power in its portfolio. This indicates a potential for even larger and more powerful wind farms in the future.
Meanwhile, another phase in this green energy journey, Project Two, is under development. Using a larger version of the SWT-7.0-154 construction, it boasts a rotor diameter of 167 meters and a maximum power output of 8,000 kilowatts. The location of Project Three in the UK's offshore wind farm series is not explicitly mentioned in the provided search results.
Britain's journey towards green energy is not just limited to its shores. Dong Energy, a Danish energy company, is building wind turbines in Germany, specifically the Gode Wind 1 (252 megawatts) and Gode Wind 2 (330 megawatts) wind farms off the North Sea island of Juist.
In 2016, Ørsted announced plans to build an offshore wind farm on England's east coast, with a total planned capacity of 6 GW. Britain will continue to rely on wind power as it navigates its way towards a sustainable future. The construction of Project Two, and potentially Project Three, will undoubtedly contribute to this ambitious goal.
As these projects come online, Britain is set to supply electricity to one million households from a single plant, demonstrating the potential of offshore wind farms in powering a greener and more sustainable future.
