The Anonymous Widower

Equinor Acquires Minority Stake In Ørsted, Becomes Second-Largest Shareholder

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.

This is the sub-heading.

Norway-headquartered Equinor has acquired a 9.8 per cent minority stake in Denmark’s Ørsted, making it the second-largest shareholder behind the Danish state, which holds a controlling stake in the company.

These are the first two paragraphs.

According to Equinor, the company is supportive of Ørsted’s strategy and management and is not seeking board representation.

“Equinor has a long-term perspective and will be a supportive owner in Ørsted. This is a counter-cyclical investment in a leading developer, and a premium portfolio of operating offshore wind assets”, said Anders Opedal, CEO of Equinor.

Could it also be two Scandinavian companies getting together to put up a stronger front to outside interests?

Are they frightened of the actions that might be taken by Great British Energy and by the Germans with their massive thirst for hydrogen?

October 7, 2024 Posted by | Energy, Finance | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Stadler Presents A World First In Berlin

The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Stadler.

These are the first two paragraphs.

With the RS ZERO, the rail vehicle manufacturer is presenting the successor to the successful Regio-Shuttle RS1 model. There is a choice of two modern and environmentally friendly drive technologies: Hydrogen and battery. Both will enable CO2 emission-free operation of secondary lines in the future.

Stadler today unveiled the prototype of the new RS ZERO, the innovative successor to the successful RS1 Regio-Shuttle. The Regio-Shuttle has been one of the most popular vehicles in German regional rail transport for 28 years, with around 500 RS1 vehicles currently in operation in Germany and the Czech Republic. Stadler is building on this proven technology and integrating state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly drive systems. The RS ZERO is optionally available with a hydrogen and/or battery drive and thus not only sets new standards for environmentally friendly rail transport, but also presents a world first.

These pictures from Chemnitz Trams And The Chemnitz Model, show the Regio-Shuttle RS1.

Note.

  1. The Regio-Shuttles can run as up to seven car trains.
  2. These Regio-Shuttles are electro-diesel.
  3. The distinctive diagonal windows.
  4. They can carry 170 passengers at 75 mph.
  5. They can run as train-trams using the Chemnitz model on compatible tram networks.

The Regio-Shuttle Wikipedia entry gives more details.

This image from the press release shows the prototype RS ZERO.

It looks very similar to my pictures from Chemnitz.

I have a few thoughts.

Comparison To A Class 150 Train

A Class 150 train can carry up to 149 seated passengers at 75 mph, which is similar to the RS ZERO.

As Stadler have built trains for Greater Anglia, Merseyrail and the Glasgow Subway, I believe that Stadler could build an RS ZERO, that would fit the UK loading gauge.

In What Train Is This?, I show the standard of interior, that can be achieved by refurbishing a Class 150 train, but unlike the RS ZERO, the train won’t be zero-carbon.

Does The RS ZERO Have A Toilet?

This is a paragraph from the press release.

The prototype of the RS ZERO presented today in Berlin is a one-car vehicle with hydrogen drive. Stadler is demonstrating the numerous design options with a multi-purpose area equipped for carrying bicycles, pushchairs and bulky luggage, lounge and comfort zones, standard and privacy seats, a wheelchair space, WC and a train office.

The train appears to be able to have what an operator might need.

What Will Be The Range Of An RS ZERO On Hydrogen?

I suspect, Stadler will provide a train, that will handle the route.

Conclusion

This could be a very handy train to decarbonise branch and secondary lines in the UK.

 

 

September 1, 2024 Posted by | Hydrogen, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Solar With Battery In Germany Now Cheaper Than Conventional Power

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Renewables Now.

These two paragraphs outline the article.

Ground-mounted solar PV and onshore wind energy are the most cost-effective technologies among all types of new power plants in Germany, with levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) ranging from EUR 41 (USD 44.75) to EUR 92 per MWh, according to a study by research institute Fraunhofer ISE.

The LCOE for new solar installations in combination with battery systems vary between EUR 60 and EUR 225 per MWh reflecting the high cost differences for battery and solar systems along with the different levels of solar radiation.

Note.

  1. The article states that these figures are lower than newly-built coal and gas-fired power plants.
  2. The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE in Freiburg, Germany is the largest solar research institute in Europe.

The original Renewables Now article is well worth reading in full.

Conclusion

This paragraph concludes the Renewables Now article.

These calculations show that the large-scale projects currently underway in Germany, which combine ground-mounted PV systems, wind farms and stationary battery storage systems, are good investments,” says Christoph Kost, head of the Energy System Analysis Department at Fraunhofer ISE and lead author of the study.

As the climate for much of Northern Europe is not that different to Germany, I suspect we’ll be seeing large numbers of hybrid wind/solar/battery power plants created in the next few years.

 

August 12, 2024 Posted by | Energy | , , , | Leave a comment

AquaVentus

I suggest, that you read this page on the RWE web site called AquaVentus.

The page starts with this RWE graphic.

It appears that 10.3 GW of hydrogen will be created by offshore wind farms and piped to North-West Germany.

These two paragraphs outline the AquaVentus initiative .

Hydrogen is considered the great hope of decarbonisation in all sectors that cannot be electrified, e.g. industrial manufacturing, aviation and shipping. Massive investments in the expansion of renewable energy are needed to enable carbon-neutral hydrogen production. After all, wind, solar and hydroelectric power form the basis of climate-friendly hydrogen.

In its quest for climate-friendly hydrogen production, the AquaVentus initiative has set its sights on one renewable energy generation technology: offshore wind. The initiative aims to use electricity from offshore wind farms to operate electrolysers also installed at sea on an industrial scale. Plans envisage setting up electrolysis units in the North Sea with a total capacity of 10 gigawatts, enough to produce 1 million metric tons of green hydrogen.

The page also gives these numbers.

  • Total Capacity – 10 GW
  • Tonnes Of Green Hydrogen – 1 million
  • Members – 100 +

The web site says this about commissioning.

Commissioning is currently scheduled for early/mid 2030s.

The Germans can’t be accused of lacking ambition.

Conclusion

AquaVentus will bring the Germans all the hydrogen they need.

I suspect AquaVentus can be expanded into the waters of other countries surrounding the German territorial waters.

August 5, 2024 Posted by | Energy, Hydrogen | , , , , , | 8 Comments

Jurgen Maier To Chair Great British Energy

This article in The Times is entitled Pylons Are The Price Of Lower Bills, Keir Starmer Tells Rural Britain.

 These are two paragraphs from the article.

Starmer confirmed that Jürgen Maier, the former UK chief executive of the Siemens conglomerate, would chair the energy company.

Maier has advised Labour on rail and transport since December. He was openly critical of the party’s decision to drop a pledge to spend £28 billion a year on green investment, saying the figure was an “absolute minimum” and that scrapping the promise was “not good for climate change or for the growth of our economy”.

Note.

  1. His Wikipedia entry is impressive.
  2. He has dual Austrian and British citizenship.
  3. He went to school in Leeds and is a graduate of Nottingham Trent University.
  4. He rose to be Chief Executive of Siemens UK and retired in 2019 at 55.
  5. I have heard him several times on the radio and he seems to talk a lot of sense.

In my view he could be an excellent choice as Chair of Great British Energy.

I also have some further thoughts.

Jürgen Maier And Peter Hendy

Jürgen Maier and Peter Hendy, who is Starmer’s Rail Minister, have remarkably similar backgrounds and I wouldn’t be surprised if they know each other well, through dealings around Siemens’ contract for Transport for London’s new trains for the Piccadilly Line.

When last, were two technological heavyweights, so close to the heart of a UK government?

RWE

German energy company; RWE are the UK’s largest power generator.

  • RWE have five gas-fired power stations with a total output of 6.56 GW.
  • RWE have two onshore wind farms in operation with a total output of 67 MW.
  • RWE have four offshore wind farms in operation with a total output of 1.88 GW.
  • RWE have eight offshore wind farms under development with a total output of 9.90 GW.
  • RWE also has other electrical gubbins, like an electrolyser in South Wales.

Would Jürgen Maier be an ideal person, to persuade RWE to keep investing in the UK?

When he was with Siemens, he certainly invested heavily in the UK.

The German Problem

Germany’s problem is how they generate electricity.

Sources are as follows for Germany and the UK.

  • Coal – 26 % – 1 %
  • Natural Gas – 10.5 % – 32 %
  • Wind – 32 % – 29.4 %
  • Solar 12.2 % – 4.9 %
  • Biomass – 9.7 % – 12.3 %
  • Nuclear – 1.5 % – 14.2 %
  • Hydro – 4.5 % – 1.8 %
  • Oil – 0.7 % – 0 %
  • Other – 2.9 % – 0 %
  • Storage – 0 % – 1 %
  • Imports – 0 % – 10.7 %

Note.

  1. Figures are for 2023.
  2. Germany is the first percentage.
  3. UK is the second percentage.
  4. Germany has pledged to end coal-fired electricity production by 2030.
  5. Both countries seem to generate similar amounts of electricity from wind, biomass and hydro.

To replace the coal and make up for lack of nuclear, Germany needs to find a new power source.

The German Solution

The Germans are going for hydrogen in a big way.

The title of this page of the RWE web site is Welcome To The Age Of Hydrogen.

The page starts with this paragraph.

RWE is actively involved in the development of innovative hydrogen projects. The H2 molecule is considered to be an important future building block of a successful energy transition. RWE is a partner in over 30 H2 projects and is working on solutions for decarbonising the industry with associations and corporations like Shell, BASF and OGE. Hydrogen projects are comprehensively supported in the separate Hydrogen department of the subsidiary RWE Generation.

I also suggest, that you read this page on the RWE web site called AquaVentus.

The page starts with this RWE graphic.

It appears that 10.3 GW of hydrogen will be created by wind farms and piped to North-West Germany.

These two paragraphs outline the AquaVentus initiative .

Hydrogen is considered the great hope of decarbonisation in all sectors that cannot be electrified, e.g. industrial manufacturing, aviation and shipping. Massive investments in the expansion of renewable energy are needed to enable carbon-neutral hydrogen production. After all, wind, solar and hydroelectric power form the basis of climate-friendly hydrogen.

In its quest for climate-friendly hydrogen production, the AquaVentus initiative has set its sights on one renewable energy generation technology: offshore wind. The initiative aims to use electricity from offshore wind farms to operate electrolysers also installed at sea on an industrial scale. Plans envisage setting up electrolysis units in the North Sea with a total capacity of 10 gigawatts, enough to produce 1 million metric tons of green hydrogen.

The page also gives these numbers.

  • Total Capacity – 10 GW
  • Tonnes Of Green Hydrogen – 1 million
  • Members – 100 +

The web site says this about commissioning.

Commissioning is currently scheduled for early/mid 2030s.

The Germans can’t be accused of lacking ambition.

AquaVentus And The UK

This video shows the structure of AquaVentus.

I clipped this map from the video.

Note.

  1. There is a link to Denmark.
  2. There appears to be a undeveloped link to Norway.
  3. There appears to be a  link to Peterhead in Scotland.
  4. There appears to be a link to just North of the Humber in England.
  5. Just North of the Humber are the two massive gas storage sites of Aldbrough owned by SSE and Brough owned by Centrica.
  6. There appear to be small ships sailing up and down the East Coast of the UK. Are these small coastal tankers distributing the hydrogen to where it is needed?

In the last century, the oil industry, built a substantial oil and gas network in the North Sea. It appears now the Germans are leading the building of a substantial hydrogen network.

AquaVentus And Aldbrough And Rough Gas Storage

Consider.

It looks like the East Riding Hydrogen Bank, will be playing a large part in ensuring the continuity and reliability of AquaVentus.

Dogger Bank South And AquaVentus

This Google Map shows the North Sea South of Sunderland and the Danish/German border.

Note.

  1. Sunderland is in the top-left hand corner of the map.
  2. A white line in the top-right corner of the map is the Danish/German border.
  3. Hamburg and Bremen are in the bottom-right hand corner of the map.

If you lay the AquaVentus map over this map, I believe that RWE’s Dogger Bank South wind farm could be one of the three 2 GW wind farms on the South-Western side of the AquaVentus main pipeline.

  • Two GW would be converted to hydrogen and fed into the AquaVentus main pipeline.
  • Two GW of hydrogen will be a nice little earner for UK plc.
  • One GW of electricity would be sent to the UK.

But this is only one of many possibilities.

Conclusion

Could Jürgen Maier, be the man to develop British links to AquaVentus for the benefit of both the UK and Germany?

  • The UK’s wind farms could provide a lot of hydrogen for AquaVentus.
  • Aldbrough And Rough Gas Storage are conveniently places to add the hydrogen storage, that AquaVentus needs.
  • AquaVentus can certainly be expanded to Norway, and possibly Orkney and Shetland.

He certainly has a lot of relevant experience.

 

 

 

July 30, 2024 Posted by | Energy, Hydrogen | , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Sunak’s Terrible Decision To Call The Election

As a control engineer and mathematical modeller, whose software planned many of the world’s major projects in the last thirty years of the last century, I feel that Rishi Sunak’s decision to call the election, when he did, was one of the worst political decisions of a UK Prime Minister in the last century.

Consider.

  • Inflation was coming down and it was likely interest rates could fall soon.
  • The Rwanda plan could have started to work.
  • A new round of wind farm Contracts for Difference for wind farms are due to be announced soon and signs, that there could be a large amount of wind to add to the future pipeline could be a record. I wrote about it in UK Can Secure Record Number Of Offshore Wind Farms In This Year’s Auction For New Projects.
  • There is 4 GW of new offshore wind to be commissioned in the next eighteen months.

When, he called the election, I believed Sunak had a very large rabbit to pull out of a hat. But there was none!

I wrote Where’s The Plan, Rishi?, because I felt these must be something more to come.

Conclusion

Now Starmer and the Labour Party, will reap all the benefits of selling Europe and principally, the Germans, the electricity and hydrogen they need.

July 5, 2024 Posted by | Energy, Hydrogen, World | , , , , , | 1 Comment

Site Investigations Underway At RWE’s Three Norfolk Offshore Wind Project Sites

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.

This is the sub-heading.

RWE has kicked off geophysical and geotechnical site investigations at the Norfolk Boreas, Norfolk Vanguard East, and Norfolk Vanguard West offshore wind project sites in the UK, rights to which the German company acquired from Vattenfall earlier this year.

All three projects in RWE’s 4.14 GW wind farm off the Norfolk coast, at last seem to be making progress.

According to the Wikipedia entry for the List Of Offshore Wind Farms In The United Kingdom, this is the last status.

Norfolk Boreas

Owner: RWE

Turbines: Vestas

Status: Contract for Difference – Round 4

Commissioning Date: 2027

Norfolk Vanguard East

Owner: RWE

Turbines: Vestas

Status: Early Planning

Commissioning Date: Before 2030

Norfolk Vanguard West

Owner: RWE

Turbines: Vestas V236-15.0 MW

Status: Early Planning

Commissioning Date: Before 2030

Note.

  1. All three Norfolk wind arms, will be using Vestas turbines.
  2. The data for Norfolk Vanguard West shows that Vestas V236-15.0 MW turbines will be used.
  3. In SeAH To Deliver Monopiles For Vattenfall’s 2.8 GW Norfolk Vanguard Offshore Wind Project, I discussed the monopiles for the Norfolk wind farms. Will these be standardised across the Norfolk wind farms?
  4. In RWE Orders 15 MW Nordseecluster Offshore Wind Turbines At Vestas, I speculated that RWE had standardised on these large turbines for their North Sea wind farms, which would surely be a sensible action to take.

Using the same large turbines and monopiles for a number of wind farms, will surely give advantages in manufacture, installation, operation and and servicing for RWE, SeAH Wind and Vestas.

The finances should also be more beneficial.

These are my thoughts.

Will The Norfolk Wind Farms Produce Hydrogen For Germany?

Consider.

  • As Hornsea 4 wind farm makes landfall in Norfolk, Norfolk should have enough renewable electricity.
  • The Norfolk Nimbies will object to more electricity transmission lines across Norfolk.
  • H2ercules, which is the large German hydrogen network will need lots of green hydrogen.
  • Wilhelmshaven, which will be the main hydrogen feed point for H2ercules, is just across the North Sea at Wilhelmshaven.
  • There are no Houthis roaming the North Sea.
  • Hydrogen could be transported from the Norfolk wind farms to Wilhelmshaven by pipeline or coastal tanker.
  • German companies are building the Norfolk wind farms.

I believe that there is a good chance, that the Norfolk wind farms will produce hydrogen for Germany.

This will have the following benefits.

  • Germany will get the hydrogen it needs.
  • The hydrogen link will improve energy security in Europe.
  • The UK government will receive a nice cash flow.

The only losers will be the dictators, who supply Europe with energy.

 

 

July 4, 2024 Posted by | Energy | , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

RWE Plans Hydrogen-Ready Combined-Cycle Gas Turbine At Gersteinwerk In Werne

The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from RWE.

These two bullet points act as sub-headings.

  • Italian-Spanish consortium commissioned to plan 800-megawatt plant
  • Investment decision to be made once H2 grid connection and regulatory framework are in place and economic viability has been established

These two paragraphs introduce the project.

RWE is planning to build hydrogen-ready gas-fired power plants at the company’s power plant sites in Germany to contribute to a successful coal phase-out by 2030. Following Weisweiler in the Rhenish mining area, the company is now pressing ahead with plans for such a plant at a possible second site in Werne in the southern Münsterland region. An H2-ready combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant with a nominal capacity of around 800 megawatts may be built at the Gersteinwerk power plant.

Following intensive technical soundings, RWE has commissioned an Italian-Spanish consortium to plan the project. Work on the planning approval process is already underway.

These are my thoughts.

The current coal-fired power station at Gersteinwerk has a capacity of 2127 MW and was built in 1984.

This is a visualisation of the two power stations.

Note.

  1. The new gas/hydrogen-fired power station is in the foreground.
  2. The coal-fired power station, with its three cooling towers is behind.

This Google Map shows the site.

I suspect that due to the size of the original coal-fired power station, more than one hydrogen-fired power station will be needed.

Project Timeline

These paragraphs lay out the project timeline and the route to 100 % hydrogen operation.

Work on the planning process is already underway. This is the prerequisite for RWE to be able to start implementing the project as soon as an investment decision has been made.

According to current planning, the plant in Werne could start producing electricity by 2030.

At the time of commissioning, the plant should be able to use a fuel mix with at least 50 per cent hydrogen content, and it is intended to run it entirely on hydrogen at a later stage.

Germany is aiming for a coal phase-out by 2030.

The Scale Of German Power Decarbonisation

This article on Power Technology is entitled Germany To Invest €16bn In Hydrogen-Ready Gas-Fired Power Plants.

These are the first two paragraphs.

Germany’s Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) has agreed to provide subsidies of €16bn for the construction of 10GW of hydrogen-ready gas-fired power plants.

The subsidy scheme has been significantly reduced since August 2023 when the proposal was first unveiled. A maximum of 23.8GW was anticipated at that time.

These power stations will need a lot of green hydrogen and I believe the most convenient place to source some of the hydrogen, will come from the windy waters of the UK’s North Sea.

RWE already have leases to build 7.2 GW of wind farms in UK waters.

July 1, 2024 Posted by | Energy, Hydrogen | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Where’s The Plan, Rishi?

In RWE Goes For An Additional 10 GW Of Offshore Wind In UK Waters In 2030, I detailed how RWE intended to add an extra 10 GW of offshore wind to the seas around the UK.

As our current offshore wind capacity is around 15 GW, another 10 GW would surely be very welcome.

My post also outlined H2ercules, which is Germany’s massive  project to create a hydrogen network to bring hydrogen to Southern Germany.

I also gave details of the hydrogen hub at Wilhelmshaven, which is being built by Uniper to feed H2ercules with green hydrogen from around the world.

I believe that some of this hydrogen for H2ercules will take a short trip across the North Sea from UK waters, after being created by offshore electrolysers.

Rishi Sunak’s Manifesto Speech – June 11

I also reported on Rishi Sunak’s Manifesto Speech, which he made on June 11th. This is an extract

This document on the Policy Mogul web site is entitled Rishi Sunak – Conservative Party Manifesto Speech – Jun 11.

These are three paragraphs from the speech.

We don’t just need military and border security. As Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has shown, we need energy security too. It is only by having reliable, home-grown sources of energy that we can deny dictators the ability to send our bills soaring. So, in our approach to energy policy we will put security and your family finances ahead of unaffordable eco zealotry.

Unlike Labour we don’t believe that we will achieve that energy security via a state-controlled energy company that doesn’t in fact produce any energy. That will only increase costs, and as Penny said on Friday there’s only one thing that GB in Starmer and Miliband’s GB Energy stands for, and that’s giant bills.

Our clear plan is to achieve energy security through new gas-powered stations, trebling our offshore wind capacity and by having new fleets of small modular reactors. These will make the UK a net exporter of electricity, giving us greater energy independence and security from the aggressive actions of dictators . Now let me just reiterate that, with our plan, we will produce enough electricity to both meet our domestic needs and export to our neighbours. Look at that. A clear, Conservative plan not only generating security, but also prosperity for our country.

It is now nine days since Rishi made that speech and I can’t remember any reports about an energy security policy, which he outlined in the last paragraph of my extract from his speech.

He particularly mentioned.

  • New gas-powered stations
  • Trebling our offshore wind capacity
  • Having new fleets of small modular reactors.

He also said we would have sufficient electricity to export to our neighbours. As I said earlier some of this energy will be in the form of hydrogen, which has been created by offshore electrolysers.

If we are exporting electricity and hydrogen to Europe, this is likely to have three effects.

  • An improvement in Europe’s energy security.
  • H2ercules will improve and decarbonise German industry, using UK hydrogen.
  • The finances of UK plc will improve.

It looks like there will be winners all round.

Rishi also said this, in his speech.

As Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has shown, we need energy security too.

The gas-powered stations, offshore wind farms and the fleets of small modular reactors, will be part of the equation.

But I believe, we need three other components to complete our energy security.

  • The upgrading of the National Grid.
  • The building of four x 2 GW interconnectors between Scotland and Eastern England.
  • Large amounts of energy storage.

Note.

  1. The Great Grid Upgrade and the four x 2 GW interconnectors are being planned.
  2. In Huge Boost To UK Supply Chain As National Grid Launches The Great Grid Partnership With Seven New Industry Partners, All United In The Drive To Deliver The Great Grid Upgrade, I describe how National Grid has setup the Great Grid Partnership to deliver the Great Grid Upgrade.
  3. In UK Infrastructure Bank, Centrica & Partners Invest £300M in Highview Power Clean Energy Storage Programme To Boost UK’s Energy Security, I describe how the big boys do a deal with Highview Power to create affordable batteries for the UK and the world.
  4. In Grid Powers Up With One Of Europe’s Biggest Battery Storage Sites, I describe how the very large Swardeston BESS is to be built near Norwich.
  5. In Mercia Power Response & RheEnergise Working Together To Build Long Duration Energy Storage Projects In The UK, I describe another UK-developed long duration energy storage system, which is now being planned.
  6. In National Grid Shares Proposals For Green Electricity Projects In Lincolnshire And West Norfolk, Needed To Boost Home-Grown Energy Supplies And Progress Towards Net Zero, I describe National Grid’s projects in the East of England.
  7. In UK ESO Unveils GBP 58 Billion Grid Investment Plan To Reach 86 GW of Offshore Wind By 2035, I show how we’re not that far away from 86 GW by 2035.
  8. In 400k For National Grid Innovation Projects As Part Of Ofgem Fund To Help Shape Britain’s Net Zero Transition, I describe how National Grid is using innovation to help target net-zero by 2035.
  9. In Iberdrola Preparing Two East Anglia Offshore Wind Projects For UK’s Sixth CfD Round, I describe how Iberdrola  is getting 1.7 GW ready for commissioning in 2026.
  10. In National Grid To Accelerate Up To 20GW Of Grid Connections Across Its Transmission And Distribution Networks, I describe how National Grid are accelerating the development of the electricity networks. 10 GW of battery storage is a collateral benefit.

These ten projects, most of which are financed and/or underway, would appear to be good foundations, on which to build the Great Grid Upgrade.

It looks to me, that National Grid, RWE, Centrica, Iberdrola and others, by just doing what comes naturally have offered the next government a road to a future.

It will be interesting, what gets said before the election.

June 20, 2024 Posted by | Energy, Energy Storage, Finance, Hydrogen | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

RWE Orders 15 MW Nordseecluster Offshore Wind Turbines At Vestas

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.

This is the sub-heading.

Vestas has now revealed the name of the project and the client for a conditional contract the company signed in May as an unconditional order came in from RWE for the first phase of its 1.6 GW Nordseecluster offshore wind development in Germany.

This is the first paragraph.

The Denmark-based wind turbine OEM has received a firm order for 44 of its V236-15.0 MW offshore wind turbines for the 660 MW Nordseecluster A, the first phase of RWE’s two-phased Nordseecluster project in Germany.

Note.

  1. The V236-15.0 MW offshore wind turbine would appear to be Vesta’s largest turbine.
  2. On the Internet RWE’s Norfolk Vanguard West wind farm is shown as using the same turbine.

Does this mean that the Vestas V236-15.0 MW offshore wind turbine, is now RWE’s standard offshore turbine? This would surely have manufacturing, installation, operation and maintenance advantages.

These wind farms in the UK could use the V236-15.0 MW offshore wind turbines.

Notes.

  1. The capacity us as sown on the RWE web site for each wind farm.
  2. The turbine numbers assume 15 MW turbines.
  3. The total capacity is 9929 MW.
  4. The number of turbines is 662.

The Nordseecluster will generate 1600 MW from 107 turbines.

Conclusion

I don’t see any reason, why all these wind farms couldn’t use the V236-15.0 MW offshore wind turbines.

June 14, 2024 Posted by | Energy | , , , , | 2 Comments