Together, RWE AG, Gwynt y Môr, Stadtwerke München, and Siemens inaugurated the US$3 billion (£2 billion) Gwynt y Môr wind farm, located 8mi offshore in Liverpool Bay, on 18 June.
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Gwynt y Môr wind farm. From Siemens. |
With an installed capacity of 576 MW Gwynt y Môr is the world’s 2nd largest offshore wind farm, Siemens said. In total, 160 wind turbines will produce enough power to supply some 400,000 residential households with renewable electricity per year. Siemens supplied both turbines and sub-stations, in addition to financing and a 12-year service and warranty contract.
The wind farm extends over an area of some 80sq km. The 160 Siemens turbines with a capacity of 3.6 MW each and the 160 steel monopile foundations, some weighing up to 700-tonne, were installed by means of installation vessels at water depths of up to 28m. Each turbine rises 150m above the mean sea level. In addition RWE and its contractors installed two massive offshore substations each weighing 1300-tonne and 134km of onshore cable installed.
Siemens supplied both turbines and sub-stations, in addition to financing and a 12-year service and warranty contract.
Gwynt y Môr has created significant opportunity for Wales’ economy, worth over $142.9 million (£90 million) to Welsh firms during construction, and will continue to do so throughout its operational life.
RWE AG’s Chief Executive Officer, Peter Terium, led the celebrations today at Gwynt y Môr’s operations and maintenance base, newly built at the Port of Mostyn. “The expansion of renewable energy is one of our main growth areas. We currently expect to invest over 1 billion Euro up to 2017 in growing renewables, with wind power at the forefront of that investment,” Terium said.
“At the end of this year 40% of our power generation from renewables will already come from offshore power production. Due to this increase in offshore capacity our operating result will see double-digit growth,ˮHans Bünting, CEO of RWE Innogy said.
Partners in the project include RWE (60%), Gwynt y Môr, Stadtwerke München (30%) and Siemens (10%).
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