Siemens has confirmed that it will build the 28MW Nissum Bredning offshore wind demonstration project in northern Denmark.

Developers Nissum Bredning Vindmøllelaug and Jysk Energi have also confirmed a positive final investment decision on the project.

The project will be the first offshore installation of Siemens' SWT-7.0-154 wind turbine.

Apart from its new turbine, the German firm will also deliver foundations and cable systems for the scheme.

Turbine installation is scheduled for the summer of 2017, with commissioning anticipated in the third quarter of the same year. 

New technology including Siemens’ wind turbines along with the new foundations and cable work will be tested at the pilot project to further study future implementation of the new technology.

Siemens said the testing of the new technology could improve the commercial aspects for levelised Cost of Electricity (LCoE). The Danish Energy Agency also says that testing this pilot project could also reduce both capital and operating costs.

Generally, the cost of monopile foundations is about 20-30% of the total cost of an offshore wind farm. But, with Siemens’ new technology, it claims that the new technology of gravity jacket foundations could reduce the cost significantly.

Siemens plans to test its new foundations at Brande and Vejle in Denmark to lower the cost of energy from offshore wind.

The wind turbines will be connected to the grid using a new cable and turbine concept with 66kV. Siemens notes that this platform would create a new standard for the future wind energy solutions, where high voltage can result in lowered costs for cabling and lowered losses.

Apart from this, the cable system will be placed inside the pipe, which can allow simpler cables to be used between the turbines. The tower is also expected to be slender with less turbine weight.

Siemens Wind Power and Renewables Division CEO Offshore Michael Hannibal said: "We are proud to be part of Nissum Bredning Vind offshore wind power plant.

“Since the Danish Ministry of Energy tendered the project as an official test bed for new technologies and integrated design, we've looked forward to this exciting project.

"This gives us the opportunity to simultaneously test and promote our innovations to achieve further cost reductions in offshore wind."

The wind farm will receive support with a guaranteed feed-in tariff of DKK 0.7/kWh ($0.1/kWh) for the starting 10 years for the first 50,000 full load hours of operation.


Image: Siemens to supply new 7MW direct drive wind turbines for the Nissum Bredning offshore wind farm in Denmark. Photo: Courtesy of Siemens AG.