Siemens successfully completes erection of 25 offshore wind turbines in Great Britain

Siemens Power Generation (PG) has successfully completed installation of 25 wind turbines for the Burbo Offshore Wind Farm in Liverpool Bay. The turbines with a capacity of 3.6 megawatts (MW) each were erected in less than 1.5 months, well ahead of schedule. Following commissioning and connection of the offshore wind farm to the power grid the wind turbines will start commercial operation by the end of the year, supplying environmentally friendly power to more than 80,000 households. The Burbo offshore wind farm has a total capacity of 90 MW and will be operated by SeaScape Energy Ltd., a company owned by the Danish utility DONG Energy A/S.

For onshore operations, Siemens leased a 45,000 square-meter area in the port of Mostyn, located in North Wales. The 65 m high steel towers were assembled upright and all internal and electrical systems were tested before they were loaded onto the installation vessel. The purpose built vessel carried towers, nacelles, hubs and blades for 3 turbines per trip to the site area, which is located approximately twelve kilometers from shore. At the site, each wind turbine was erected in five heavy lifts with a maximum weight of approximately 185 tons. The average erection time per turbine weighing almost 500 tons each was less than half a day.

The Burbo Wind Farm is the first offshore project using the Siemens SWT-3.6-107 turbine and the first in a series of offshore projects to be built by Siemens. In a few weeks' time, erection of 48 turbines of the SWT-2.3-93 type will commence offshore at Lillgrund near the Swedish city Malmoe. With a capacity of 110 MW, it will be the largest offshore wind farm in Sweden. The Lillgrund project will be operated by the utility company Vattenfall and commercial operation is scheduled to start in the fall of 2007.

In 2008, Siemens will start erection work on the largest offshore wind farm in the world off the east coast of Great Britain. The Lynn and Inner Dowsing project comprises 54 SWT-3.6-107 wind turbines. The wind farm will have a maximum capacity of 180 MW and will be operated by the British gas provider Centrica.

"Offshore wind energy is a key future market for Siemens," said Andreas Nauen, head of the Wind Power Division of Siemens PG. "Siemens is currently the leading manufacturer of offshore wind turbines. Our technology is making a significant and steadily growing contribution towards the implementation of an environmentally friendly, reliable power supply."

Erlangen, Germany, July 10, 2007