Denmark’s west coast hosts what is termed the world’s first offshore wind turbine with a CO2-reduced steel tower and recyclable rotor blades, according to RWE.
The 1.1 GW Thor offshore wind farm, under construction 22 kilometres off Jutland’s west coast, will include 72 Siemens Gamesa SG 14-236 DD wind turbines rated at 15 MW. Half will have steel towers with a reduced carbon footprint, and 40 turbines will feature 120 recyclable rotor blades.
RWE is already using recyclable rotor blades, made from composite materials that can be reused, at its Kaskasi and Sofia offshore wind farms. The company is the first globally to deploy Siemens Gamesa’s GreenerTower, which produces 63% fewer CO2 emissions than traditional steel due to its renewable-powered production process.
“This world-first is about moving circularity from promise to practice. RecyclableBlade is designed to enable composite materials to be recovered and recycled, addressing a growing end of life challenge. Together with GreenerTower, which lowers the carbon footprint of steel and reduces overall turbine emissions by around 20 percent, we are proving that sustainability can be delivered at scale in offshore wind, with safety, quality and certainty,” said Marc Becker, Senior Vice President of Siemens Gamesa Offshore.
At the Thor project site, offshore construction progresses with installation of the offshore substation and wind turbine foundations completed last year. Fred. Olsen Windcarrier’s vessel Brave Tern installed the first wind turbine in early March, with power generation commencing soon after.
All 72 turbines will be in place by the end of 2026, with the 1.1 GW wind farm set to be fully operational in 2027. Once completed, Thor will produce enough electricity to power more than one million Danish households. RWE, along with Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM), owns the project.
Original Story at www.offshorewind.biz