Germany: Grid Connection for 3rd Windreich Offshore Wind Farm on Right Track

The on-schedule connection with the grid for the offshore wind park ‘Deutsche Bucht’ is now a good deal closer. At the hearing with the Federal Network Agency yesterday, it became clear in intensive negotiations over several hours that both sides – the wind park builder Windreich AG and the network operator TenneT – have a high interest in a rapid and constructive solution. The hearing was part of a malpractice procedure that Windreich initiated with the Federal Network Agency.

“Our joint interest is to realise the energy change, in favour of which both companies have put in motion investments worth billions independently of each other. Therefore, I am pleased that we have discussed pragmatic solutions today, very cooperatively and constructively, for the on-schedule connection with the grid of our third wind park ‘Deutsche Bucht,” says Dipl.-Wirt.-Ing. (FH) Willi Balz, chairman of the board of directors of Windreich AG.

An additional cable to an already commissioned transformer substation was discussed, with which ‘Deutsche Bucht’ will be able to be connected to the network on schedule. Existing capacities there could be used to bring the electricity from ‘Deutsche Bucht’ to the land, until completion of the transformer substation originally provided for the park.

Windreich AG also has plans for two further offshore wind parks:

Global Tech I:

Last month, the start of construction began on schedule for the park ‘Global Tech I’. Last week the first three 950-tonne tripods were loaded from the new Hochtief installation vessel ‘Innovation’. The park ‘Global Tech I’ will be completed by the end of 2013, and will provide a million people with clean, affordable electricity. Up until today, EUR1.25 billion has been invested in Global Tech I.

Windreich MEG 1:

With the authorisation of the transformer platform ‘DolWin Alpha’ and the undersea cable system ‘DolWin1’ by the Federal Network Agency, there is nothing else standing in the way of the on-schedule connection to the grid of the second Windreich offshore park, Windreich ‘MEG 1’.

As the only park in the German Baltic Sea, ‘MEG 1’ will obtain its connection to the grid significantly before the start of installation of the park. Windreich ‘MEG 1’ will be built before ‘Deutsche Bucht’ and will provide energy for a further million people, and therefore, together with ‘Global Tech I’ will already replace a nuclear power station in 2014!

“This proves that due to the excellent wind conditions in the German Baltic Sea, impressively proven by Alpha Ventus, and the persistence of German medium-sized businesses, the energy change will be successful,” says Willi Balz. “Windreich AG will install an offshore wind park per year, as planned. In particular, also because all important components, such as AREVA wind turbines, have already been secured.” 

[mappress]

Press release, September 13, 2012; Image: Windreich