Project description:

The Offshore Wind farm Northwind is located on the “Lodewijkbank” at approximately 37km west of Zeebrugge in the Belgian economic zone of the North sea. The wind farm was formerly known as Eldepasco. Construction started in 2012 and the firs offshore activities commenced early 2013. The Northwind project consists of 72 wind turbines from manufacturer Vestas (type V112.) The turbines are installed on monopole foundations at a water depth between 16 and 29 meters. The turbines are connected by 8 strings of 33kV submarine cables. The produced energy (72x3MW in total) is collected at the Offshore High Voltage Station (OHVS), where the voltage will be transformed to 220kV. The OHVS is prepared to connect Belwind 2 wind farm in the future. From the OHVS, the produced power from Northwind, 216MW in total, as well the power from Belwind 2 (150-165MW) will be transported to the shore of Zeebrugge by a220kV submarine cable connection with a length of 42km. From here, a 2,5 km land cable connects the wind farm to the 220/150kV substation of ELIA TSO. In the future, a 220kV connection will be realized to a new 220/380kV substation (part of the ELIA Stevin project). During the design phase of the project, a large effort was made to create a synergy between the current Northwind project and the connection of the future Belwind 2 project attention. This involves the 220kV offshore interconnection cable between the two wind farms.

Activities of Energy Solutions:

Energy Solutions delivered a significant contribution to the Northwind project, commissioned by Northwind NV. In the design phase, Energy Solutions contributed to the acquisition of the 150 kV grid connection and the design of the electrical infrastructure of the wind farm. During the construction phase, Energy Solutions supervised the installation of the electrical infrastructure. The following activities have been executed in cooperation with Northwind:

• Project support during the (pre-)engineering and tender process for the elerctrical infrastructure of the wind farm and support with the wind turbine manufacturer as well the grid operator on the 220kV grid connection at the high voltage substation at Zeebrugge.
• Performing feasibility studies to create synergy between Northwind and Belwind 2, calculation and simulations for a combined connection of the two wind farms and interconnection at 220kV as well a back-up connection for wind farm Belwind 1.
• Compose the technical specifications for the various contracts for procurement and installation of the 33kV submarine cables, the 220kV submarine export and interconnector cables, the 220kV land cables and the 33/220kV Offshore High Voltage Station (OHVS).
• Technical support during the tender process for the contracts mentioned above.
• Project management as Deputy Package Manager Electrical Infrastructure during construction.
• Project support during construction.
• Quality checks and en factory acceptance tests of the 33kV/220kV Offshore High Voltage Station (OHVS).
• Quality checks and en factory acceptance tests of the enlargement of the onshore control room from Belwind 1, to make it suitable for the control of offshore wind farms Northwind, Belwind 1 and Belwind 2.
• Quality checks and factory acceptance tests of the 42 kilometre 220kV submarine export cable (3x1000mm2 and 3 x 1200mm2)
• Quality checks and factory acceptance tests of the 13.75 kilometre 220kV submarine interconnector cable (3x400mm2
• Quality checks and factory acceptance tests of the 49 kilometre 33kV submarine cables connecting the wind turbines to the OHVS.
• Quality checks and factory acceptance tests of the 7.5 kilometre 220kV land cable.
• Supervision of the commissioning of the electrical infrastructure.

Interesting websites:

https://www.elia.be/nl/infrastructuur-en-projecten