COPHEN (OH) / STEVNS: The Capital Region Utility Company (Hofor) wants to build the 300 MW offshore wind farm Aflandshage Wind Farm approximately ten km from the southern tip of Amager and a good eight km from northern Stevns. But the wind farm will not only supply green electricity to approximately 300,000 households. It will also improve marine biology in Øresund.
The utility company is thus betting that a side benefit may arise in connection with the construction of the offshore wind farm. That side benefit should be more cod in Øresund and Køge Bugt - as well as a general improvement in the living conditions for both marine plants and animals in the area around the turbines. At least these are requirements that are specified in the tender materials, the company states in a press release.
- We want our offshore wind turbines to have a positive impact on the surrounding environment. That is why we have set a requirement in our tender that the foundations of the turbines should function as artificial stone reefs in the best possible way – a so-called Nature Inclusive Design, says Stig Balduin Andersen, project manager at Hofor. He continues:
- Research has shown that the foundations of offshore wind turbines can have a positive effect on marine biology. This applies in particular to the type of foundations we have chosen for Aflandshage – concrete foundations that stand on the seabed, and where the seabed around the foundations is covered by several layers of stone that act as erosion protection. We will specifically target our design with artificial stone reefs so that it supports the life of cod, which has been declining in the Øresund and Køge Bay for many years.
For cod, stones laid up to 15 meters below the sea surface are particularly suitable for improving living conditions. Therefore, HOFOR requires that bidders document how erosion protection laid out at these water depths will improve the living conditions of cod.
Also a requirement for a low CO2 footprint
In addition to the requirement for Nature Inclusive Design, HOFOR has also made it a criterion for awarding a contract that the future contractor considers sustainable solutions. This includes, not least, the use of concrete with a lower CO2 footprint, and the general reduction of fuel consumption in connection with the construction work.
HOFOR's tender for turbine foundations for Aflandshage Wind Farm was launched in September 2022. HOFOR expects to be able to conclude the large and complex tender in the autumn of 2023 with the award of a contract.
The tender includes design, production, construction, transport, installation and testing of a total of 26 concrete foundations to be built for Aflandshage Wind Farm. Project manager Stig Balduin Andersen expects the entire work to be carried out over a period of approximately two years.
Aflandshage Wind Farm will consist of 26 modern offshore wind turbines with a total height of up to 220 meters to the top blade tip.
Text, graphics, images, sound, and other content on this website are protected under copyright law. DK Medier reserves all rights to the content, including the right to exploit the content for the purpose of text and data mining, cf. Section 11b of the Copyright Act and Article 4 of the DSM Directive.
Customers with IP agreements/major customer agreements may only share Danish Offshore Industry articles internally for the purpose of handling specific cases. Sharing in connection with specific cases refers to journaling, archiving, or similar uses.
Customers with a personal subscription/login may not share Danish Offshore Industry articles with individuals who do not themselves have a personal subscription to Danish Offshore Industry.
Any deviation from the above requires written consent from DK Medier.
