04/27/2006
Offshore a focus of WindEnergy 2006
The future of wind energy is primarily offshore, so the industry is working hard on development and optimisation of turbines, equipment and logistics to meet the tough requirements of these applications. The first wind farms are delivering power off the coasts of Denmark, Sweden, Ireland and the UK, currently with a total installed capacity of 680 MW. There are numerous further projects in planning, including projects at considerable water depths. According to the results of the recently published WindEnergy Study 2006, the wind energy companies surveyed are expecting addition of some 5300 MW offshore capacity in Europe in the next five years. The greatest growth will be in the UK (1360 MW) and Germany (1346 MW) followed by Denmark (648 MW) and France (476 MW). So offshore is a key issue at this premier international meeting of the industry, to be held in Hamburg from 16 to 19 May. Numerous exhibitors will present their latest developments and services for offshore applications. Offshore will also be a focus of the supporting programme - the "Offshore Day" (17 May) will give trade visitors a wealth of information on recent developments.
Presentations in the new exhibition halls of Hamburg Messe will include a range of companies that are successful in the offshore sector. Such as Nordex, the manufacturer of multi-MW turbines, which recently installed Germany's first offshore turbine, the Nordex N-90 (2.5 MW) in the Baltic Sea, near Rostock. Eleven of these turbines are expected to be installed in the Baltic I wind farm, for which preparations are scheduled to start this year. Siemens Wind Power will exhibit the nacelle of their 2.3 MW turbine at the WindEnergy. This was installed in projects such as the Nystedt wind farm off the southern coast of Denmark, regarded by the industry as a showcase project. The wind farms in Swedish and Irish waters feature turbines designed by GE Wind, including the large 3.6 MW turbines.
REpower Systems intend to install their 5 MW turbine, developed for offshore applications, in the Beatrice Fields wind farm some 25 kilometres off the eastern coast of Scotland, in late summer this year. The water depth there is 44 metres - making this turbine the most powerful wind turbine installed at a really deep-water location. Further applications are intended in the Borkum West pilot wind farm and most likely also in the Baltic I project, some 15 km off the German Baltic Sea coast.
The "Offshore Energies Competence Network Rostock" will be present at the WindEnergy to provide information on developments at the coast of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania. The joint offshore stand will include presentation by the Warnemünde Shipping Institute, which is preparing the installation of the Fino II research platform in the Baltic Sea. Offshore progress at the North Sea coast is highlighted by the wab - Windenergie-Agentur Bremerhaven/Bremen. The wab will present its competence fields and innovations together with its twelve member companies.
And there are many more exhibitors in this area, presenting the whole bandwidth of this market, which is opening up with offshore development in Europe. For example WeserWind GmbH - Offshore Construction, which manufactures special tripod foundations for seabed installation. Hochtief Construction is another exhibitor, making concrete foundations for the "Lillgrund" offshore wind farm in Sweden. Bauer Maschinen GmbH will give information on special-purpose engineering equipment needed for maritime operations. There are also logistics companies presenting their services and equipment for transfer of materials and personnel to offshore wind farms. DEWI Offshore Certification Centre and Germanischer Lloyd are also present at this premier trade fair, as the leading certifiers for offshore systems.
The expansion of offshore wind energy applications is also a major topic in the supporting programme dialog@WindEnergy. The "Topics Forum" (Hall A1) includes a whole day dedicated to this keynote subject, which will be covered in numerous presentations and panel discussions. The "Offshore Day" (17 May), under the leadership of DEWI, will include discussion of the results of the FINO research project, and analyse experience with international offshore windenergy projects. There will also be opportunities for exchange of opinion by experts on the level of technical developments with wind turbines and projects, and provision of information on the necessary logistics and port capacities. The "Finance and Insurance Day" (18 May), will include information on the financing of offshore wind farms, for example with reports by the Danish utility Dong on its experience (latest programme information available at the website www.windenergy.de).
The international trade fair will also be used for a meeting of the Board of Trustees of the German Offshore Foundation. This Foundation was established to realize an offshore test field (twelve 5 MW turbines from German manufacturers).
Presentations in the new exhibition halls of Hamburg Messe will include a range of companies that are successful in the offshore sector. Such as Nordex, the manufacturer of multi-MW turbines, which recently installed Germany's first offshore turbine, the Nordex N-90 (2.5 MW) in the Baltic Sea, near Rostock. Eleven of these turbines are expected to be installed in the Baltic I wind farm, for which preparations are scheduled to start this year. Siemens Wind Power will exhibit the nacelle of their 2.3 MW turbine at the WindEnergy. This was installed in projects such as the Nystedt wind farm off the southern coast of Denmark, regarded by the industry as a showcase project. The wind farms in Swedish and Irish waters feature turbines designed by GE Wind, including the large 3.6 MW turbines.
REpower Systems intend to install their 5 MW turbine, developed for offshore applications, in the Beatrice Fields wind farm some 25 kilometres off the eastern coast of Scotland, in late summer this year. The water depth there is 44 metres - making this turbine the most powerful wind turbine installed at a really deep-water location. Further applications are intended in the Borkum West pilot wind farm and most likely also in the Baltic I project, some 15 km off the German Baltic Sea coast.
The "Offshore Energies Competence Network Rostock" will be present at the WindEnergy to provide information on developments at the coast of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania. The joint offshore stand will include presentation by the Warnemünde Shipping Institute, which is preparing the installation of the Fino II research platform in the Baltic Sea. Offshore progress at the North Sea coast is highlighted by the wab - Windenergie-Agentur Bremerhaven/Bremen. The wab will present its competence fields and innovations together with its twelve member companies.
And there are many more exhibitors in this area, presenting the whole bandwidth of this market, which is opening up with offshore development in Europe. For example WeserWind GmbH - Offshore Construction, which manufactures special tripod foundations for seabed installation. Hochtief Construction is another exhibitor, making concrete foundations for the "Lillgrund" offshore wind farm in Sweden. Bauer Maschinen GmbH will give information on special-purpose engineering equipment needed for maritime operations. There are also logistics companies presenting their services and equipment for transfer of materials and personnel to offshore wind farms. DEWI Offshore Certification Centre and Germanischer Lloyd are also present at this premier trade fair, as the leading certifiers for offshore systems.
The expansion of offshore wind energy applications is also a major topic in the supporting programme dialog@WindEnergy. The "Topics Forum" (Hall A1) includes a whole day dedicated to this keynote subject, which will be covered in numerous presentations and panel discussions. The "Offshore Day" (17 May), under the leadership of DEWI, will include discussion of the results of the FINO research project, and analyse experience with international offshore windenergy projects. There will also be opportunities for exchange of opinion by experts on the level of technical developments with wind turbines and projects, and provision of information on the necessary logistics and port capacities. The "Finance and Insurance Day" (18 May), will include information on the financing of offshore wind farms, for example with reports by the Danish utility Dong on its experience (latest programme information available at the website www.windenergy.de).
The international trade fair will also be used for a meeting of the Board of Trustees of the German Offshore Foundation. This Foundation was established to realize an offshore test field (twelve 5 MW turbines from German manufacturers).
- Source:
- Hamburg Messe und Congress
- Author:
- G.Blickle
- Email:
- gudrun.blickle@hamburg-messe.de
