The project, which is anticipated to be fully commissioned in the first half of 2019, will feature 56 MHI Vestas 8MW turbines with rotor spans of 164m.
The wind farm will deliver enough energy to meet the power needs of about 460,000 households in Germany.
Dong currently is the sole owner of the project, but the company plans to divest up to 50% interest at a later date.
The project will push the company’s offshore portfolio to 6.7GW, above its 2020 target of 6.5GW.
Borkum Riffgrund 2 will be situated 54km from the coast of Lower Saxony, next to one of the company’s other wind farms, Borkum Riffgrund 1.
Dong Energy received approval for building the project in December 2011. The consent needs an amendment approval from Bundesamt für Seeschiffahrt und Hydrographie (BSH) or the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency of Germany for the deployment of 8MW wind turbines.
Dong Energy executive vice president and wind power head Samuel Leupold said: "Offshore wind is a significant contribution to the German energy transition, and Borkum Riffgrund 2 confirms Dong Energy’s position as one of the major investors in the renewable energy infrastructure in Germany.
"The 8MW turbine takes offshore wind efficiency a further step forward, and the size of the Borkum Riffgrund 2 project is yet another indication of market maturity. We’ll continue our relentless efforts to drive down the cost of electricity from offshore wind."
Upon completion of Borkum Riffgrund 2 project, the company will have installed about 1.35GW of offshore wind in German waters and supply power to 1.4 million homes.
Image: Dong Energy to start construction of Borkum Riffgrund 2 offshore wind darm. Photo: Courtesy of DONG Energy A/S.
