Denmark is launching a huge trio of 15-MW offshore wind turbines
Wind is picking up speed.
One of the world’s largest offshore wind turbines is poised to take a spin off the coast of Denmark’s Frederikshavn.
European Energy and Vestas, a wind turbine manufacturer, have greenlit the installation of the latter’s flagship V236-15 MW offshore wind turbines in Denmark, making the Danish city of Frederikshavn “a focal point in the future of offshore wind technology”, per a press release.
The offshore wind turbines are planned to be built and operational by 2024, with further plans involving turning green power into green fuels that can help the maritime industry run on sustainable energy.
A joint venture to further the latest wind turbine technology
Offshore wind energy is acquired by using the wind force produced on the high seas, where it reaches a greater and more consistent speed than on land due to the lack of obstructions. To make the most of this resource, these megastructures are erected on the seafloor and outfitted with cutting-edge technological advancements. Offshore wind resources are “abundant, stronger, and more consistent than land-based wind resources”, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
With the new collaboration, Vestas will design and build three of its newest V236-15.0 MW offshore wind turbines at three of the five test spots presently being developed by European Energy, roughly four kilometers off the coast near Frederikshavn. Unveiled in February of last year, the first prototype of V236-15.0 MW, which will be constructed in the onshore test center Østerild later this year, is currently being produced by Vestas. This joint venture is an important milestone in the roll-out of the latest wind turbine technology.
“We are working on getting our flagship offshore wind turbine constructed here in Denmark and look forward to the joint efforts with European Energy to achieve the construction of the offshore wind turbines at the test site outside the city of Frederikshavn,” Christian Gjerløv, Head of Offshore Wind Technology at Vestas, said. “The position will provide us with a unique opportunity to test the offshore wind turbines close to our factories and research facilities in Denmark prior to the serial production and export to the global market.”
Offshore wind turbines to stay
This will enable Vestas to demonstrate the wind turbines’ viability in an offshore environment, as well as provide early know-how with installation methods and technician training to ensure that the installation and management of the turbines can be done as safely and effectively as possible. With this agreement, the turbines take another significant step toward completion by 2024.
“We have been looking forward to moving ahead with the project in Frederikshavn not only because the development of new green technology is crucial in our fight against climate change, but also because we see a great potential for turning the city of Frederikshavn into a center of renewable energy in Northern Denmark,” European Energy CEO Knud Erik Andersen said.
“If we are successful in constructing the offshore wind turbines, we are planning to move forward with a Power-to-X-facility on the port of Frederikshavn, where we will turn the green power into green fuels that can help the shipping industry run on renewable energy.”
As the world moves forward with plans of adopting renewable sources of energy, scientists around the world are working to make the process smoother. For example, a team of researchers recently landed on Finland’s Aalto Ice Tank to study the interactions between large turbines and frigid temperatures, which might one day allow us to build offshore wind farms in the world’s coldest places.
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