Triton Knoll has achieved another major project milestone having now installed 45 of the 90 turbines planned for the offshore array. The first of Triton Knoll’s 9.5 megawatts (MW) turbines was installed in January 2021 and the project remains on track to complete offshore construction by the end of the year. Turbine commissioning will continue through 2021, with final project completion set for early 2022.
Julian Garnsey, project director for RWE and Triton Knoll, said: “Reaching the halfway stage in our turbine installation campaign is a massive achievement for the project team, especially given the challenges encountered due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Turbine installation is continuing as planned, and this milestone is a huge step towards project completion and Triton Knoll providing clean, green renewable energy for up to 800,000 homes.”
Vestas is manufacturing the v164-9.5 MW turbines – amongst the most powerful in the world – at its Isle of Wight and Fawley facilities. Prior to installation, the blades, nacelles and tower sections are prepared for offshore use at Able Seaton Port. DEME, Triton Knoll’s installation partner, is using the jack-up vessel ‘Wind Osprey’ to install the turbines.
Once fully operational, the wind farm, which is located over 32km off the Lincolnshire coast, will be capable of making an important contribution to the UK’s net-zero targets by helping to decarbonise its energy infrastructure and powering UK homes with clean, offshore wind energy.
The project is jointly owned by RWE, J-Power and Kansai Electric Power. RWE is managing the construction, long-term operation and maintenance works on behalf of its project partners. Triton Knoll represents an investment of around £2 billion in renewable energy infrastructure with over half of that spent with the UK supply chain.