Giant Gennaker project pumps Siemens Gamesa’s offshore sails

Siemens Gamesa and customer wpd sign 927-MW Master Supplier Agreement for 103. Siemens Gamesa Direct Drive offshore wind turbines

Siemens Gamesa and wpd have signed a Master Supply Agreement for the massive 927-MW Gennaker offshore wind power plant. Located a mere 15 km off the German coast, the powerful project is intended to feature 103 Siemens Gamesa Direct Drive offshore wind turbines each with a 167-meter rotor. With the PowerBoost option engaged, each machine’s capacity can reach up to 9 MW, from its nameplate capacity of 8.6 MW. A 20-year Service agreement is included in the agreement.

 Installation of all 103 Siemens Gamesa offshore Direct Drive machines is expected to be completed in 2026. The agreement remains subject to certain conditions including the confirmation of the grid connection date. This is expected during the second half of calendar year 2023.

 “Signing this giant 927-MW Master Supply Agreement with wpd for Gennaker is excellent news. It is extremely energizing for us, as we aim to supply our customer with one of the largest offshore wind power plants planned for the Baltic Sea. Our solid collaboration based on four other projects will be strengthened by deploying our reliable, proven Direct Drive offshore wind turbines. Simultaneously contributing to achieving the German government’s ambitious offshore wind goals only adds to our anticipation,” states Marc Becker, CEO of the Siemens Gamesa Offshore Business Unit.

 “Today’s signing of the Master Supply Agreement shows our dedication to the time schedule hitting its peak with the installation in 2026. The success will depend on the smooth cooperation between authorities, grid operators, and contractors. With Siemens Gamesa, we have chosen a very reliable partner who are performing at the top of the industry in terms of quality and timely delivery,” states Achim Berge Olsen, COO of wpd AG.

 In late 2021, the German coalition government increased their targets for offshore wind energy production to 30 GW by 2030. Targets for 2035 and 2045 were raised to 40 GW and 70 GW respectively.

 Gennaker is intended to be the fifth collaboration project for Siemens Gamesa and wpd. The four other projects are Butendiek at 288 MW in Germany, inaugurated in 2015; Yunlin at 640 MW in Taiwan currently under installation; Fécamp at 498 MW and Courseulles-sur mer at 448 MW, both in France and both under preparation for installation in the coming years.

 Each Siemens Gamesa Direct Drive offshore wind turbine intended for the Gennaker project will utilize a flex rating, beginning at 8.6 MW of capacity. The 167-meter diameter rotor utilizes Siemens Gamesa B81 Integral Blades and features a swept area of 21,900 square meters. These machines are a part of the SG 8.0-167 DD turbine family. More than 3.2 GW of this machine type have been installed globally in projects in numerous countries, making it one of the mostly successful offshore wind turbines in the world.