RWE has announced the installation of the first turbine foundation of the 1.6GW Nordseecluster offshore wind project in the German North Sea.
The foundation is located about 50km north of the German island of Juist.
Van Oord’s new offshore installation vessel, Boreas, transported the monopiles from Eemshaven, Netherlands, to the German North Sea site. Each foundation is 85m long and weighs around 1,500 metric tons.
The Nordseecluster will be developed in two phases.
The installation of foundations is being done for Nordseecluster A. This phase is expected to accommodate 44 wind turbines.
According to RWE, installation of the turbines is slated to begin in 2026 with the target to begin commercial operations in early 2027.
Once fully operational, Nordseecluster A will have a capacity of 660MW. Nordseecluster B will add another 900MW with 60 turbines, with commercial operations likely to begin in early 2029.
The overall project will generate enough electricity to cater to approximately 1.6 million German households.
RWE holds a 51% stake in the Nordseecluster, with Norges Bank Investment Management owning the remaining 49%. The German energy firm oversees construction and operation throughout the project’s lifespan.
RWE offshore wind CEO Sven Utermöhlen said: “With the 1.6GW Nordseecluster we together with our partner Norges Bank Investment Management are delivering what is currently the largest offshore wind project off the German coast.
“Installing the first monopile is a significant milestone for the entire team, following years of planning and preparation. My thanks go to our supply chain partners and all colleagues who contributed to this success.”
The wind farm sites are located in the eastern German North Sea. For Nordseecluster A, foundations have been offloaded at Eemshaven and will begin construction at sea in summer 2025.
Atlantique Offshore Energy has been engaged to supply electrical offshore substations for the project, while Hellenic Cables is handling cable manufacturing.
Dajin Offshore is manufacturing monopile foundations delivered by Van Oord for installation. Vestas will provide a minimum of 104 V236-15.0 MW turbines with each having a capacity of 15MW.
Havfram Wind is managing transport and installation support.
