The massive, 600 MW Gemini offshore wind park has been opened offshore the Netherlands ahead of schedule and under budget.
Gemini will produce 2.6 TWh of wind power every year, reducing the Netherlands’ CO2 emissions by 1.25 million tons.
Gemini is invisible from land, at 85km off the coast of Groningen, in the North Sea. This location has some of the highest and most constant wind speeds in the North Sea, with an average wind speed of 36km per hour. Gemini covers 68sq km and is comprised of 150, 4 MW Siemens wind turbines, as well as two offshore high-voltage substations. Each substation is connected by to the land station in Eemshaven by a 110km export cable. There, the electricity is converted to 380 Kv and conveyed to the TenneT power station. Management and maintenance headquarters will be located in Eemshaven, and will create 75-100 permanent jobs.
Four companies combined forces to develop Gemini possible: Northland Power (60% interest), Siemens (20%), Van Oord (10%) and HVC (10%).
The construction of the wind park cost Euro2.8 billion. The project was financed by 25 banks from Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America. To date, Gemini is the largest project financing for an offshore wind park.
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