February 24, 2015
Isle of Man

Turbines on wind farm extension will be significantly bigger

By Dave Kneale | 24 February 2015 | www.iomtoday.co.im

The turbines for a major extension to an offshore wind farm in the Irish Sea will be significantly larger than the ones currently used.

Developer DONG Energy have announced MHI Vestas Offshore Wind as their preferred partner to supply the turbines for the extension to the 102-turbine Walney Array off the coast of Cumbria.

The developer intends to use Vestas’ eight-megawatt V164 turbines.

Visible from the east coast of the Isle of Man on a clear day, the existing Walney Array is around 30 miles away from the island at its nearest point.

In November 2014 DONG Energy received permission for a major extension to the wind farm.

The two-phase process could add up to 200 turbines to the west of the site and bring them 10 miles closer to the Isle of Man.

The largest turbines used in the original Walney Array stand at around 150 metres from the sea to the tip of their blades, with a total rotor diameter of 120 metres.

But once installed to a hub, the 80 metre long blades used in the V164 turbines will create a rotor diameter of 164 metres and must be installed on towers that are significantly taller than their counterparts.

Based on the formal permits and timetable for the Walney extension, offshore construction of the wind farm could potentially start in 2016.

However, DONG Energy has not taken a final investment decision to build the offshore wind farm.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2015/02/24/turbines-on-wind-farm-extension-will-be-significantly-bigger/