Offshore Project Progress -- 22 January 2016

EUROPE: Recent project updates from two Scottish offshore projects, Germany's oldest offshore site Alpha Ventus and the Nordergrunde development in the North Sea.

The 60MW Alpha Ventus generated 242GWh last year

Dounreay Tri

Surveying contractor: HiDef Aerial Surveying has confirmed that it has been carrying out high resolution video surveys of marine mammals and birds for Hexicon AB since January 2015.

The surveys will support Hexicon's consent application for the 8-12MW Dounreay Tri project. The two-turbine floating demo is planned for a site off Dounreay, northern Scotland. 15-Jan-16

 

Alpha Ventus

2015 production: The 60MW Alpha Ventus generated 242,176 MWh last year, its fifth complete year of operation.

It equated to 4,036 full load hours per year or a load factor of 46%.

Output was 3.1% more than had been forecast for the year and turbine operational availability was 93.4%. 18-Jan-16

 

Nordergrunde

New investor: Gothaer Leben Renewables GmbH – part of Gothaer Group, one of the largest German insurance companies – has acquired an equity stake in wpd's Nordergrunde.

The developer plans to attract further investors to the 111.6MW project that is being developed in the Weser estuary.

The project will be built 15 kilometres northeast of the German island of Wangerooge, and comprise 18 Senvion 6.2MW M126 turbines installed in water depths of up to ten metres.

Construction is due to begin in March 2016 with commissioning due in 2017. 20-Jan-16

 

Beatrice

Stake sold: Developer SSE has sold a further 10% stake in Beatrice to Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP).

The ownership structure of the up-to-664MW project now comprises SSE (40%), CIP (35%) and Repsol (25%).

Beatrice is planned for a site in the Outer Moray Firth off north-east Scotland, with a final investment decision due in March 2016. 22-Jan-16

 

From WPO Intelligence