ScottishPower Renewables’ East Anglia THREE windfarm project witnesses a significant milestone as its offshore converter station embarks on its maiden voyage. Departing from the Damen yard in Mangalia, Romania, aboard the heavy transport vessel, Bigroll Beaufort, the station is en route to Norway for final construction.
The converter station, a colossal seven-storey structure measuring over 68 meters long, 34 meters wide, and 44 meters high, symbolizes a leap forward in sustainable energy infrastructure. Weighing several thousand tonnes at present, it will undergo installation and commissioning of HVDC equipment at Aker Solutions’ fabrication yard in Stord, Norway. Post-construction, the station’s weight will surge to nearly 10,000 tonnes before its deployment in the southern North Sea in anticipation of the windfarm’s completion by 2026.
Once operational, East Anglia THREE will rank as the world’s second-largest windfarm, boasting a capacity to generate 1.4 GW of clean electricity, sufficient to power over 1.3 million homes. Pedro Fernandez, the project director for East Anglia THREE at ScottishPower Renewables, expresses profound pride in reaching this pivotal juncture, acknowledging it as a significant stride towards a sustainable future.
“This is a major milestone and memorable moment in our journey towards a cleaner and greener future. It was such an impressive sight to see the converter station – the biggest ever constructed across the whole of the Iberdrola Group – set sail,” states Fernandez.
The successful progress of the project underscores the collective efforts of various stakeholders, including ScottishPower Renewables, Aker Solutions, Damen, Mammoet, Roll Group, Bring, DNV, ABL, and Bureau Veritas. Hege Skram, the project director at Aker Solutions, acknowledges the significance of this achievement, emphasizing the collaborative spirit that facilitated the station’s sail away.
“East Anglia THREE is a frontrunner project for the energy transition in Aker Solutions. The topside sail away from Damen is an important project milestone and is the result of great teamwork and collaboration between all stakeholders. I’m humble and proud to be part of such an excellent project team,” states Skram.
Arne Engevik, Senior Vice President of Renewable Projects at Aker Solutions, echoes sentiments of gratitude towards the dedicated efforts of everyone involved, emphasizing the commitment to maintaining the highest standards of safety and quality throughout the project’s progression.
As the converter station embarks on its journey to Norway, it symbolizes not only a feat of engineering excellence but also a collective commitment towards a sustainable and greener future.
Source:ScottishPower
