At the end of 2021, German RWE's company Thor Wind Farm won the draw to build Denmark's largest offshore wind farm to date, Thor. Whether it is the German background that has made the difference remains to be seen, but RWE has so far looked towards German companies when several of the largest contracts have had to be awarded.
In October, Siemens Energy was chosen as the main supplier for the onshore transformer station for the wind farm, and now RWE is also close to sending a large order to German-Spanish Siemens Gamesa.
RWE has thus signed a preferred supplier agreement with Siemens Gamesa, which, if the contract is finally confirmed, will deliver 72 units of its flagship wind turbine SG 14-236. This will result in the Thor project ending with a total output of 1,000 MW. The parties have also agreed on a service agreement for the turbines. All deliveries are, however, conditional on RWE's final investment decision for the project, RWE said in a press release.
- With Thor we will make a massive contribution to Denmark's ambitious climate goals. To implement this offshore wind project, we rely on our 20 years of experience in offshore wind as well as experienced suppliers such as Siemens Gamesa, who are committed to working hand in hand with companies in the Danish supply chain and the local workforce. At RWE, we want to be one of the central players in the development of green energy in Denmark, says Sven Utermöhlen, CEO of RWE Offshore Wind.
Representatives from the management boards of RWE and Siemens Gamesa met on Wednesday at the National Test Center for Large Wind Turbines in Østerild to celebrate the signing. The meeting took place just a few meters from the prototype SG 14-236 DD, which is located in Østerild, and similar turbines will be installed in the Thor Offshore Wind Farm.
- We are pleased to once again collaborate with RWE and are particularly excited about the signing of the preferred supplier agreement for the Thor project. Our partnership already includes 12 projects in both operation and development with a total capacity of over 5.1 gigawatts in several countries. The meeting in Denmark today underlines our commitment to Denmark and the benefits we all get from the Østerild test center. Government support for all parts of the wind industry - from projects to support schemes to research and development centres like this - is crucial for our future success, says Marc Becker, CEO of Siemens Gamesa's offshore wind turbine business.
Many Danish jobs
RWE will build the Thor offshore wind farm in the North Sea, approximately 22 kilometres from Thorsminde on the west coast of Jutland. The installation of the turbines is expected to begin in 2026. The installation work is planned to be carried out from the Port of Esbjerg. Both RWE and Siemens Gamesa intend to utilise the qualified local workforce during the construction and commissioning of the project both in the port and at sea.
When it comes to the operation and maintenance of Thor, RWE will set up a service base at the port of Thorsminde, which will create up to 60 permanent jobs. This includes technicians, engineers, maritime personnel and crew for the service vessels. The new service station is expected to be fully operational from 2026 onwards. RWE plans to support the Thor wind farm from the port of Thorsminde for at least 30 years.
When the farm is fully operational, which is planned to happen by the end of 2027 at the latest, Thor will produce enough green electricity to supply more than one million Danish households.
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