AMBAU awarded construction contract for largest ever offshore tower

Bremen: July will see construction begin at the AMBAU site in Cuxhaven, Germany of the largest offshore tower ever  built for a wind turbine, measuring 7.33 metres at the base flange. Consisting of four segments, the tower will have a total height of 106 metres; the largest segment can only be manufactured at Cuxhaven due to its length of more than  40 metres and weight in excess of 200 tonnes.

The tower will be fitted with a number of electrical and hydraulic components delivered for the project from Europe and  Japan for installation by AMBAU employees; Another innovation will be a “fluororesin” coating system featuring higher wear resistance from Japan-based Chugoku Marine Paints, Ltd. Under consideration of the harsh environmental conditions Offshore Turbines are exposed to, this coating system will contribute to the corrosion resistance and thus, reduce time spent for service and maintenance.

The tower will be crowned by a 7 megawatt prototype SeaAngel nacelle from the Japanese-based turbine manufacturer. SeaAngel will feature an innovative hydraulic drive train linked to a rotor with a diameter of 167 metres. The prototype is scheduled for installation at SSE’s offshore wind turbine test site in Hunterston, Scotland in the third quarter of 2013.

"We're very much looking forward to Mitsubishi's exciting and challenging project ... another opportunity for us to prove  our mettle as a powerful partner," said Holger Müller, Head of Sales at AMBAU GmbH.

Mitsubishi Power Systems Europe (MPSE), the advanced energy technology company, is a subsidiary of Mitsubishi  Heavy Industries (MHI), the world-renowned Japanese original equipment manufacturer.

With its European headquarters in London, MPSE provides low-carbon energy generation and storage technologies  that range from advanced thermal power systems (such as the world’s largest and most efficient gas turbine) through  to wind turbine generators and batteries across the European, Africa and Middle East territory.

MPSE is active in MHI's offshore wind turbine programme with teams in multiple locations in the UK and Germany, as  well as in UK-based subsidiary Artemis Intelligent Power, Ltd.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is one of the world's leading heavy machinery manufacturers. MHI's diverse lineup of products and services encompasses shipbuilding, power plants, chemical  plants, environmental equipment, steel structures, industrial and general machinery, aerospace and space, and  heating and cooling systems.

See www.ambau.com for more information on AMBAU GmbH's products and services.

AMBAU GmbH - Growth with energy