A major development in renewable energy infrastructure has been announced in the North Sea.
- Dragados Offshore and Siemens Energy consortium wins €2.9bn contract.
- The project involves constructing offshore and onshore electrical conversion platforms.
- The platforms will handle energy conversion from the North Sea wind farm LanWin 3.
- Completion aims to enhance efficient energy transmission in Germany.
In a significant stride towards enhancing renewable energy infrastructure, a consortium consisting of Dragados Offshore, a subsidiary of Vinci’s Cobra IS, and Siemens Energy has secured a contract valued at €2.9 billion (£2.44 billion). This contract tasks the consortium with the design, construction, and installation of two pivotal electrical conversion platforms in the North Sea.
The project’s scope includes the development of both an offshore converter platform and an onshore wind energy conversion platform situated in Germany. These platforms are set to collectively manage an impressive capacity of 2GW, indicative of the project’s scale and importance to the region’s energy landscape.
Notably, German transmission system operator 50Hertz has entrusted this consortium with the contract, highlighting the project’s strategic significance. The offshore converter platform is intended to convert alternating current produced by LanWin 3, a wind farm positioned 120km off the German coast, into high-voltage direct current (HVDC). This conversion is crucial for reducing electrical losses during the transmission process from sea to land.
Further complementing this, the onshore platform will be located in Schwerin, North-East Germany. Its primary function will be to convert the direct current back into alternating current, which will then be integrated into Germany’s electricity grid for distribution across the southern regions. This step ensures that the electricity generated is optimised for efficient use and distribution.
The construction of the offshore converter platform is scheduled to take place in Dragados Offshore’s yard situated in Andalusia, Spain. This initiative underscores Dragados Offshore’s capability and experience in handling large-scale, complex projects within the renewable energy sector.
This project signifies a step forward in enhancing Germany’s renewable energy infrastructure, contributing to efficient energy transmission.
