Under the terms of the agreement, Siemens Gamesa will deliver 132 recyclable blades to be deployed on 44 of the Sofia offshore wind project's 100 SG 14-222 DD offshore wind turbines
RWE selects Siemens Gamesa to deliver blades for Sofia offshore wind project. (Credit: RWE)
German power generation company RWE has selected Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy to supply recyclable blades for the 1.4GW Sofia offshore wind project located off the northeast coast of England, UK.
Under the terms of the agreement, Siemens Gamesa will deliver 132 recyclable blades to be deployed on 44 of the offshore wind project’s 100 SG 14-222 DD offshore wind turbines.
Located 195km off the UK’s northeastern coast on Dogger Bank in the North Sea, the Sofia project will feature turbines with 108m long turbine blades and a 222m rotor diameter.
Both companies have agreed to manufacture half of the blades for the offshore wind project at Siemens Gamesa’s Hull factory in the UK.
Earlier in 2022, Siemens Gamesa supplied its recyclable blades for RWE’s Kaskasi offshore wind power project located 35km north of the island of Heligoland in the German North Sea.
Siemens Gamesa offshore business CEO Marc Becker said: “Our industry-leading RecyclableBlade technology is now delivering even greater circularity of resources. When we began working with RWE on the Kaskasi project, we knew that we had taken the first major steps toward delivering a decisive change to the wind sector.
“Having the opportunity to produce and install 132 RecyclableBlades for the Sofia project is a remarkable achievement. It fully demonstrates the joint focus between our companies to develop and deliver even greater levels of sustainability for renewable power generation globally.”
The offshore installation of the Sofia offshore wind project is anticipated to commence this year and the project is expected to be complete in 2026.
According to RWE, Siemens Gamesa uses a novel resin type with a chemical structure that can be easily separated from other elements in its recyclable blades. The technique preserves the qualities of the materials, allowing them to be reused in new casting applications.
RWE offshore wind CEO Sven Utermöhlen said: “We are delighted to have secured this agreement with Siemens Gamesa.
“Sofia is our largest offshore wind farm to date and this world first is a significant step in taking the long-term sustainability of offshore wind farms to the next level. RWE believe this is the right direction for the future of our sector, which has sustainability at its core.”