World’s largest offshore turbine installation completed

Fred Olsen Windcarrier has completed installation of the world’s largest offshore wind turbine for power generation provider Alstom based in France.

The 6MW Haliade 150 turbine has a 150 metre rotor, 73.5 m blades and a 78 m tower. Following onshore testing and commissioning in March 2012 at Le Carnet in France it was installed 45 km off the Belgian coast from Ostend harbour at the Belwind site.

Fred Olsen Windcarrier specialises in transport and installation of offshore wind turbines. For this project it used its self-elevating wind turbine installation and crane vessel, Bold Tern. Built in 2012, the vessel entered service with Fred Olsen Windcarrier in February 2013. It has an open deck area of 3,200 square metres. Onboard cranes can load components weighing up to 800 tonnes and it has a DP2 dynamic positioning system.

The wind turbine stands 100 metres above sea level and weighs 1,500 tonnes. The nacelle alone weighs 400 tonnes. It has the capacity to produce electricity for 5,000 households, an Alstom spokesperson said. Instead of a gearbox it uses a direct drive.

Alfonso Faubel, Alstom Wind senior vice president, said, “The installation of our turbine, which is simple, robust and efficient, contributes in boosting the competitiveness of offshore wind energy.”