Siemens Gamesa to supply newest 8 MW direct-drive offshore turbine to 500 MW Saint Brieuc project in France

Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) will supply its new 8 MW offshore wind turbine, the SG 8.0-167 DD, to 500 MW Saint Brieuc project off Bretagne coasts. The ordered direct drive wind turbine will replace Adwen's AD 8-180 model after Siemens Gamesa has decided to focus on offshore direct drive platform.

The switch to the Siemens Gamesa direct-drive platform as the technical solution for the project being developed by Ailes Marines, has been approved by the French Minister for the Ecological and Inclusive Transition.

After 500 MW Dieppe/Le Tréport, 500 MW Yeu/Noirmoutier and 24 MW Provence Grand large projects, Siemens Gamesa will be supplier for nearly 1.524 GW of projects in France accounting for a total of 189 Siemens Gamesa direct drive turbines to be installed.

The latest turbine of the Siemens Gamesa offshore direct-drive platform offers a rotor diameter of 167 meters with B82 blades of nearly 82 meters length allowing 18% larger swept area and up to 20% higher annual energy production than its predecessor SWT-7.0-154. As part of the proven offshore direct-drive platform, the SG 8.0-167 DD utilizes known technology, combined with its rotor upgrade, to offer customers reliable revenue streams with reduced cost of energy and mitigated risk.

Andreas Nauen, CEO Offshore at Siemens Gamesa, said: "This switch of technology for Saint Brieuc project is positive news for the project as well as for the whole industry. It demonstrates the leadership position of Siemens Gamesa in the offshore wind market in France. The strong dedication of our company to offer reliable and competitive solutions while contributing to the local economic and industrial development will allow offshore wind to become a motor of the energy transition in Bretagne."

With a total capacity of approximately 11 GW installed offshore and pioneering projects dating back to 1991, Siemens Gamesa has the longest track record of all wind turbine suppliers in the offshore industry. By end of September 2017 more than 300 units of this offshore direct drive platform have been handed over to customers and more than 1000 will be by 2020. Siemens Gamesa has a proven offshore track record with more than 2,800 wind turbines sold and nearly 11 GW installed.