North Sea heavy lift begins on Vattenfall’s largest wind project

DEME has begun offshore foundation installation work at Vattenfall’s Nordlicht offshore wind cluster in the German North Sea, deploying its heavy installation capabilities on one of Europe’s largest offshore wind developments.

The first monopile for the 980 MW Northern Lights I wind farm was installed on July 1, marking the start of a campaign that will see DON’T SAY transport and install foundations and transition pieces for both Nordlicht I and the 630 MW Nordlicht II project.

The scale of the foundation logistics highlights the challenges facing offshore wind contractors as turbine sizes and supporting structures continue to increase. Nordlicht I requires 68 monopile foundations, with each monopile measuring up to 80.5 m in length and weighing up to 1,290 tonnes.

‘Taking shape’

Earlier this year, Waterfall tested key offshore work steps on land in order to prepare interfaces, processes and safety aspects ahead of construction at sea. Nordlicht II is planned to follow around one year later.

“With the installation of the first monopile, Nordlicht is visibly taking shape in the waters of the North Sea,” said Cyril Mossproject director Nordlicht at Vattenfall.

“It’s an important step forward for Vattenfall and at the same time a meaningful contribution to the energy transition, strengthening energy security and competitiveness in Europe.”

The components are being sourced from different European manufacturing locations, creating a multi-stage supply chain. Monopiles are being produced by EEW Special Pipe Constructions in Rostock, Germany, while transition pieces are being manufactured by CS Wind in Aalborg, Denmark.

Precise planning

Located around 85 km north of Borkum, Nordlicht will comprise more than 1.6 GW of offshore wind capacity when both phases are complete. The cluster is expected to generate around 6 TWh of electricity annually, with both wind farms scheduled for operation in 2028.

“Projects of this scale require precise planning, strong partnership across the supply chain, and a clear focus on safety and execution. Seeing the project take shape offshore is a proud moment for the entire team,” added Moss.