The first ever wind turbine blades manufactured at Siemens (now Siemens Gamesa) blade factory in Hull have been loaded onto A2SEA’s wind turbine installation vessel Sea Installer at the Port of Hull and are en route to the Race Bank site for installation.
Installation of the blades and rest of the components is on track with 25 turbines installed to date, DONG Energy informed, adding that Race Bank is expected to be fully operational in 2018.
Matthew Wright , Managing Director for DONG Energy UK, said : “To see the first blades made in Hull now loaded out and ready for installation at our project really underlines the strength of the U.K. supply chain to support the growth of offshore wind in this country.”
Clark MacFarlane , Managing Director Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy UK, said: “This first load out represents a significant milestone in the story of how, in just a few years, we have helped increase the UK economic benefit of lower cost Offshore Wind and help make the Humber region a hub for low-cost, green energy expertise.”
The 573MW wind farm consists of 91 Siemens 6MW turbines. Approximately two thirds, or around 180, of the blades at Race Bank will come from the blade factory in Hull, which was officially opened in December 2016.