Mainstream Renewable Power has selected Siemens Wind as the preferred supplier of wind turbines for the proposed 450MW Neart na Gaoithe offshore wind farm to be located off the coast of Fife in Scotland.
The project will utilise Siemens SWT-6.0-154 wind turbines, and the company will now enter exclusive bilateral negotiations with Mainstream.
Having received onshore planning consent in June 2013, the proposed Neart na Gaoithe Offshore Wind Farm is expected to receive a determination on its offshore consent application soon and start preliminary construction works later this year. It is expected to begin generating renewable electricity from 2017 and when fully operational it will have the capacity to deliver 3.7% of Scotland’s electricity demand.
The Siemens SWT-6.0-154 has 50% fewer moving parts than comparable geared machines and a towerhead mass of 360 tons. The 154m rotor, designed specifically for the Siemens 6.0 MW turbine, has a swept rotor area of 18,600m2. It therefore maximizes energy yield at offshore locations, from inland waters with moderate wind resources to the most exposed offshore sites.
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Source: Mainstream Renewable Power, February 19, 2014; Image: Siemens