The first wind turbine at Windpark Fryslân has begun producing electricity, according to a project update published on social media on 12 April.
The first of the total of 89 Siemens Gamesa 4.3 MW wind turbines was installed at the project site at the end of the last month.
Located in the IJsselmeer Lake in the Netherlands, the 382.7 MW Windpark Fryslân is the world’s largest wind farm in inland fresh waters and will produce around 1.5 TWh of electricity annually, which corresponds to the energy consumption of approximately 500,000 households.
The project is being constructed by the Zuiderzeewind consortium of Van Oord and Siemens Gamesa, with Van Oord carrying out the installation works.
Due to the shallows in the IJsselmeer and the width of the locks, the company engineered a special method to install the wind farm’s foundations and wind turbines. The unique work platform, called the Sarens Soccer Pitch, is the size of half a football field and houses a large crane.
Wind turbine installation is expected to be completed this summer, after which Windpark Fryslân will be put into operation.