Navantia and Windar announced today (2 July) that they will build a factory for XXL monopiles on the grounds of the Fene shipyard in Spain after Iberdrola closed a framework agreement with the partnered companies for future offshore wind farms, valued at EUR 400 million.
The framework agreement between Iberdrola and Navantia-Windar involves the manufacture and supply of 130 XXL monopile foundations, with Iberdrola being able to place orders with a value of up to EUR 400 million between 2023 and 2025 for its future offshore wind farms under a preferential supply status with the companies.
Based on having this agreement in place, the Navantia-Windar consortium will start building a factory for XXL monopiles in Fene (A Coruña), to improve the capacities of the Navantia shipyard in Fene.
Navantia and Windar will invest in the adaptation of a warehouse to bend thick sheet metal of a diameter of up to 16 metres, add new painting booths and storage areas for the finished product, as well as purchase the latest technology equipment necessary for manufacturing.
The new XXL monopile factory, which will manufacture foundations of more than 100 metres in length, weighing up to 2,500 tonnes, will be put into operation in 13 months. It will be located in a part of the Fene shipyard facility that ensures it does not interfere with the production of other offshore wind products, such as jackets and floating structures.
Navantia and Windar have worked on several offshore wind projects developed by Iberdrola, including the Wikinger offshore wind farm in German, East Anglia One in the United Kingdom, and the Saint-Brieuc wind farm in France.
In addition, Windar will make the transition pieces for the project that the energy company will build in the United States: Vineyard Wind I.