Bayreuth/Mannheim, 11 July 2017 – TenneT and GE (NYSE: GE) have reached a major milestone with the successful installation of the DolWin3 offshore converter station in the south-western German North Sea, approximately 80 kilometers from land. The project, awarded to GE as the main contractor by the transmission system operator TenneT, will connect two wind farms, which will be able to supply over one million German households with clean power.
The converter platform left Warnemünde in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern on the 15th of June and underwent a 6 day journey along the German and Danish coastlines to reach its final destination, which was only made possible in good weather. Once in position, the team began the installation onto the substructure – called the “jacket”, which was installed in 2016.
Wilfried Breuer, TenneT Member Executive Board, said: “The converter platform is one of the biggest visible indicators of the German energy transition. Flagship projects like DolWin3 are crucially important to transfer wind energy from the north to power customers and to make sustainable energy a reality.”
“The installation of the platform DolWin gamma is an important milestone for us,” said Patrick Plas, General Manager, HVDC and FACTS, Grid Solutions from GE Power. “DolWin3 is GE’s first offshore HVDC project. The technology represents a crucial turning point for offshore wind, renewables, and how we are able to move that energy efficiently from where it is being generated to the customer, with significantly lower losses over long distances. This project is a vital contribution to Germany’s energy transition, which aims to increase renewable energy production. HVDC technology plays a major role in supporting the long-term growth of the renewable energy industry throughout the world. We are proud to lead this project for TenneT and to make a difference in people’s lives through enabling clean energy solutions.”
DolWin3 is the tenth out of twelve grid connections to be implemented by the German transmission system operator TenneT.
Read more about project progress in the press release from March 2016.
DolWin gamma during installation
Close up view of DolWin gamma during installation
All images © TenneT and GE
