World’s largest offshore wind farm supplies first power
DONG Energy’s offshore wind farm Horns Rev 2 in the North Sea today supplied the first CO2-free power to the Danish national grid. The farm’s total of 91 wind turbines will be installed during the course of 2009, but the first wind turbines have already been put into operation. Once completed later this year, Horns Rev 2 will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm.
DONG Energy’s offshore wind farm Horns Rev 2 in the North Sea today supplied the first CO2-free power to the Danish national grid. The farm’s total of 91 wind turbines will be installed during the course of 2009, but the first wind turbines have already been put into operation. Once completed later this year, Horns Rev 2 will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm.
“The first power from Horns Rev 2 is a tangible result of our efforts to increase our production of renewable energy, which is why we are delighted to have realised the Horns Rev 2 project together with our partners, and to have come this far,” says Niels Bergh-Hansen, Executive Vice President of DONG Energy.
Several Danish companies and municipalities have committed to purchasing power from the turbines via climate partnerships with DONG Energy. Novozymes and Novo Nordisk have reserved more than half the total production.
“We are ambitious when it comes to developing and selling products that give our customers the possibility of saving CO2, but as a business we, too, want ourselves to be strong in this area. That is why we are so delighted with the agreement, which ensures that all the electricity we use in Denmark from 2012 onwards comes from wind turbines,” says Flemming Funch, Director of the Environment for the enzyme business in Novozymes.
Executive Vice President of Novo Nordisk Lise Kingo says:
“This is a big day for us. Since May 2007 our employees responsible for energy issues have implemented more than 100 energy-saving projects with DONG Energy, thereby making enough savings to purchase green energy from Horns Rev II. Today we can start to reap the benefits of our partnership.”
The farm’s 91 wind turbines will have a total capacity of 209 MW and will be able to generate CO2-free power equalling the consumption of more than 200,000 households. The power from the wind farm will be transported to shore via a 100 km long transmission cable, put into operation by Energinet.dk.
“In the coming years Denmark is going to have even more offshore wind farms, and by 2012 we will have increased the share of renewable energy in the national grid by 40%. It requires both a more robust and a more flexible electricity network, and is a very exciting challenge for us," says Divisions Director Torben Glar Nielsen from Energinet.dk, who has been responsible for ensuring that the power from Horns Rev 2 can be transported to shore. Energinet.dk was thus behind the establishment of the transformer platform in the sea, as well as the sea and land cables.
According to plan, Horns Rev 2 will be completed at the end of 2009 and will thus represent a significant beacon at the international climate summit, COP 15, in Copenhagen in December.
Facts about Horns Rev 2:
• The farm will consist of 91 wind turbines generating 2.3 MW each, supplied by Siemens. Their height will be 114.5 metres above the sea surface, with a further 30-40 metres of foundation under water
• The wind turbines will have a rotor diameter of 93 metres
• The production capacity will total 209 MW
• Horns Rev 2 will be able to supply CO2-free power to more than 200,000 households
• The farm will cover an area of just under 35 km2 and will be situated 30-40 km from the coast by Blåvandshuk
• It is the sister park of Horns Rev 1, which was opened in 2003
• It will be the world’s first offshore wind farm that has its own platform for living quarters
• The farm will open at the end of 2009
• http://www.dongenergy.com/hornsrev2
For further information:
DONG Energy
Media Relations
Ulrik Frøhlke
+45 9955 9560