Last turbine for Hollandse Kust Zuid

Almost two years after the start of construction, the last turbine of the Hollandse Kust Zuid wind farm has been installed last June. Over the next couple of months, the turbines will be commissioned and tested.

VATTENFALL.

Hollandse Kust Zuid is expected to be inaugurated later this year.

Project Director Ian Bremner of Vattenfall says, “We are extremely proud to have reached this milestone. The installation of this last turbine is an important moment for the project, not just for us, but also for our partners and all the suppliers and contractors who helped us get here. Hollandse Kust Zuid is the frst subsidy-free ofshore wind farm in the world, and we are looking forward to delivering this project.”

Largest ever project

“Today we are celebrating the fnal installation of our largest ever ofshore project. Its nacelles were manufactured in our factory in Cuxhaven (Germany) and the blades came from Aalborg (Denmark). This project underlines once again how the wind industry can provide Europe with energy security through domestic, clean and competitive sources”, explains David Molenaar, Siemens Gamesa’s Managing Director in the Netherlands.

Cadeler has been supporting Siemens Gamesa with the transportation and installation of all 139 offshore wind turbines using the wind installation vessel, Wind Osprey. “When we initially planned for this project, it was the first time ever the Siemens Gamesa 11MW turbines were to be installed on a commercial scale. This of course required skilful engineering work and a good collaboration with our partners at Siemens Gamesa and Vattenfall. We are proud to have played a vital role in the realisation of this impressive and recordbreaking wind farm project that will contribute to the green transition”, says Jacob

Heinricy Jensen, Chief Operations Officer at Cadeler.

139 Turbines

The total number of turbines installed is 139, one less than the 140 planned. Last year, one of the foundations was damaged after a collision with bulk carrier Julietta D. after it became rudderless during a storm and drifted through the wind farm. In alignment with partners, contractors and authorities it was decided that the foundation was damaged too much to install a turbine and will not be replaced. It will be removed in 2024. It has not been decided yet what will happen with the location once the foundation has been removed. Last May, Vattenfall installed special wind turbine blades at three turbines of the wind farm. These blades are specifically designed to be easily recycled at the end of their lifespan. The three recyclable blades have a special resin that dissolves at lower temperatures. This not only saves energy in the recycling process, but also makes it easier to separate the glass fibres, allowing the fibres to retain higher strength. The higher the quality of the remaining fibres, the more value they have – as they are closer to their original composition.

Subsidy-free

Hollandse Kust Zuid is located 18km off the coast, in the area between the Hague and Zandvoort. The government has chosen this site due to the suitability of the seabed, the ideal weather conditions, limited depth of water, and the proximity of the port of IJmuiden. The area is subdivided into four parcels. In March 2018, Vattenfall won the tender for the first two parcels (approximately 115km²). In July 2019, Vattenfall won the tender for the other two parcels (approximately 110km²). The wind farm is Europe’s first offshore wind farm built without any government subsidy. The costs of offshore wind energy have dropped dramatically in the last few years due to rapid developments in the market. Vattenfall will be able to complete the project without the financial help of the government as the government guarantees the licence and network connections in their tender. This means that the risks involved, and thus the inherent costs, have dropped dramatically.

Hollandse Kust Zuid is located 18km off the coast, in the area between the Hague and Zandvoort. The government has chosen this site due to the suitability of the seabed, the ideal weather conditions, limited depth of water, and the proximity of the port of IJmuiden.

i. vattenfall.com