Aker Verdal wins wind energy project in Germany

"This contract represents a breakthrough for Verdal in the offshore wind turbines market, and we look forward to make this project a success in close co-operation with RWE Innogy", says Nina Udnes Tronstad, president of Aker Solutions in Verdal.

The contract will be executed by Aker Solutions fabrication yard in Verdal, and includes engineering, procurement, fabrication, load-out and sea-fastening of the steel substructure and piles. The fabrication will start at Aker Verdal in January 2011, and will engage some 100 personnel.

Aker Solutions is first and foremost a leading supplier to the oil and gas industry, but its recent history has many examples of how the company has been able to utilise its competence to enter into other industry segments.

" With this contract win, our business unit in Verdal demonstrates its capability to capitalise on its jacket substructure competence and track record within oil and gas to penetrate the offshore wind energy market", says Udnes Tronstad.

The Verdal yard has been pursuing the potential of offshore wind power as a new market opportunity for the last few years and has previously delivered the six tripods for Germany’s first offshore windfarm Alpha Ventus.

"We see great potential for our business in Verdal in the future offshore wind energy market in Europe, but we clearly need to move quickly to demonstrate and further improve our execution capabilities in order to build a sustainable business model in this new segment", says Udnes Tronstad.

The substructures will be delivered during the period October 2011 to July 2012. The substructures have a weight of approximately 450 tonnes each and a height of 45 to 48 metres. The jacket substructures will be installed at a water depth in the range of 22 to 25 metres and will support 6 MW REpower wind turbines.

RWE Innogy is one of the leading companies within renewable energy in Europe and with a large portfolio of upcoming offshore wind projects.

About the Nordsee Ost project

* Wind farm name : Nordsee Ost
* Country: Germany
* Location: 35 km north of Helgoland
* Water depth: about 22 – 25 m
* Total installed capacity : 295 MW
* Turbines: 48 x 6 MW REpower wind turbines
* Power production: approx. 1.1 terawatt-hours per year (equivalent to the supply of more than 310,000 households)
* Start of offshore construction work: 2011
* First power generation: mid 2012
* Full commissioning: in 2013

RWE Innogy pools the renewable energy expertise and power plants of the RWE Group. The company plans, builds and operates facilities generating power from renewable energies. RWE Innogy aims to vigorously grow renewable energies in Europe. Onshore and offshore wind power projects are a focus of the company’s activities. However, RWE Innogy will also expand biomass and hydroelectric power. We are also pushing ahead with the development of new technologies for the future.

In fact, the company plans and operates biogas facilities, wave and tidal power plants as well as solar thermal power plants. Overall, RWE Innogy operates renewable power plants with a total rated capacity of 2,200 megawatts and invests approximately 1.4 billion euros a year in the expansion of renewable energy within Europe.

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