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Alpha Ventus wind turbines in the North Sea
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Alpha Ventus: an offshore pilot project already producing electricity
In the summer of 2009, AREVA Wind installed the first 6 M5000 turbines of the alpha ventus project in the North Sea. They are situated about 45 kilometers from the German island of Borkum, at a depth of 30 meters.
This is the first German wind energy park to be constructed out at sea under offshore conditions and in such deep water. It will be capable of producing enough power to supply 50,000 households with electricity.
All design, construction, operation and commissioning were carried out simultaneously in a few months’ time. The data of this major project should supply key information for the future development of offshore wind farms.
- The blades were manufactured by AREVA blades, an AREVA subsidiary in Stade, Germany. They are 56.3 meters long.
- The main components (foundations, mast segments, nacelles, rotors and blades) were transported to the port of Eemshaven in The Netherlands, near the alpha ventus park.
- Once on site, the foundation (weighing more than 700 tons) was raised by a self-elevating platform equipped with a crane and transported to the anchoring point. Its structure is in the shape of a tripod, which is a major innovation and a world first.
- The 3 legs of the tripod were "bolted" onto the sea bed by piles of 35 to 40 meters long. The piles are cemented to the structure of the foundations.
- Once the foundations were in place, the segments of the steel tower, the nacelle (234 tons) and finally the rotor were fitted.
- The mast can be as high as 130 meters.
- The rotor, to which 3 blades are fixed, reaches a diameter of 116 meters.
- Each blade weighs 16.5 tonnes.
- The surface area swept by the rotor is about the size of two football pitches!
- The mast supports the nacelle, the rotor and its three blades, that is a total weight of 349 tonnes!
Alpha Ventus offshore project brochure
Alpha Ventus project is the first German wind energy park to be constructed out at sea. This project articulates with several phases like construction, assembly, operation and connection to the power grid. This allows to provide initial feedback to the Alpha Ventus research committee and will be used in the development of the future parks.
Services and maintenance
Accessibility of an offshore wind park is heavily dependent on the weather. This is why the AREVA M5000 technology is especially designed for long periods between maintenance.
- A high quality monitoring system guarantees permanent turbine control. This ensures reliable monitoring that the M5000 is operating.
- An integrated condition monitoring permits a precise analysis of the turbine components at all times.
- The turbine auto-responds if weather conditions do not permit servicing. If required, the system appropriately connects the components which exist in duplicate.
Therefore, maintenance and service work on the high sea can be planned long term and combined to make the work effective.
Other Offshore wind farm projects
France
- GDF SUEZ, VINCI and AREVA join forces to develop France's offshore wind industry. The alliance has been formed to allow the groups to reply jointly to the call for tenders announced by the French President of the Republic in January 2011.
The government is targeting 6000 MW of offshore wind capacity by 2020 and intends to build five offshore wind farms along the French coast.
This agreement will lead to the creation of an industrial platform around three major players with complementary expertise in renewable energies and construction. It applies exclusively to three wind farms at Dieppe-Le Tréport, Courseulles-sur-Mer and Fécamp.
Germany
- AREVA has signed a contract with Wetfeet Offshore Windenergy to supply 80 M5000 turbines, of a value of over 800 million Euros, for the Global Tech 1 offshore wind farm, as well as maintenance services and operations.
This project is located 90 kilometers from the coast in the German North Sea. It will produce some 1.4 billion kWh per year to supply one million users with electricity. - AREVA has won a contract worth 400 millions euros with Trianel, an association comprising German urban electric utilities, to supply 40 turbines M5000 for the Borkum West II wind farm (200 MW). Borkum West II will be the largest wind project ever undertaken in the German North Sea. Located 45 km off the north coast of the island of Borkum, the project will be located near alpha ventus, the first wind farm in Germany.
