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Jan De Nul Group has installed the first monopile foundation at the 795 MW OranjeWind offshore wind farm in the Dutch North Sea, starting a 53 foundation installation campaign scheduled to run into early 2027.
The first foundation was transported and installed by the heavy lift vessel Les Alizés. The monopiles are being supplied by Dutch foundation manufacturer Sif from its Maasvlakte facility near Rotterdam.
OranjeWind is being developed as a 50:50 joint venture between RWE and TotalEnergies. The project is located about 53 kilometres west of IJmuiden and is scheduled to become fully operational in early 2028.
53 foundations to be installed
Each monopile is approximately 90 metres long and 8 metres in diameter. The project is using foundations without conventional transition pieces, allowing the wind turbines to be bolted directly onto the upper flange of each monopile.
Removing the transition piece reduces the amount of steel required and changes the offshore installation sequence. Secondary components, including access platforms, internal cassettes and boat landings, will instead be fitted directly to the monopiles during a separate offshore campaign.
Les Alizés loads the foundations at Sif’s terminal on the Maasvlakte before transporting them to the construction site. The vessel uses dynamic positioning during installation and is equipped with a 5,000 tonne crane capable of reaching 160 metres at full height.
The monopiles are driven into the seabed using a hydraulic impact hammer. A bubble curtain is being deployed around the piling location to reduce underwater noise, while measurements outside the curtain will check compliance with applicable noise limits.
Offshore construction moves into next phase
Foundation installation marks the start of a broader offshore construction programme that will extend through 2027.
Installation of OranjeWind’s inter array cables is scheduled to begin toward the end of 2026. The project’s 53 wind turbines will then be installed during 2027 using Jan De Nul’s jack up installation vessel Voltaire.
The wind farm will use 53 Vestas V236 turbines, each rated at 15 MW. Together they will provide an installed generating capacity of 795 MW.
OranjeWind is expected to generate about 3 TWh of electricity annually when fully operational, equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of more than 1 million Dutch households.
The project is also intended to test how large offshore wind developments can operate as part of a more flexible electricity system. RWE and TotalEnergies plan to combine wind generation with technologies including electrolysers, battery storage, electric vehicle charging and electric boilers to better match variable renewable generation with demand.
The first electricity from OranjeWind is planned for spring 2027, with all 53 turbines expected to be commissioned by early 2028.
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