Vindeby Offshore Wind Farm

Vindeby Offshore Wind Farm
Location of Vindeby Offshore Wind Farm in Denmark
Country Denmark
Coordinates 54°58′12″N 11°7′48″E / 54.97000°N 11.13000°E / 54.97000; 11.13000Coordinates: 54°58′12″N 11°7′48″E / 54.97000°N 11.13000°E / 54.97000; 11.13000[1]
Status Operational
Commission date 1991
Construction cost 75 million Danish kroner
Owner(s) DONG Energy
Wind farm
Max. water depth 2–4 m (7–13 ft)
Distance from shore 2 km (1 mi)
Hub height 35
Rotor diameter 35
Power generation
Make and model Bonus
Nameplate capacity 4.95 MW
Capacity factor 22.9 %[2]

Vindeby Offshore Wind Farm is the first offshore wind farm in the world, made in 1991.

History

Elkraft began considering offshore turbines in 1987, and surveyed the waters around Lolland in 1989.[3]

The wind farm cost an estimated 10 million €, built by SEAS and Elkraft. The electricity industry at the time generally considered offshore turbines to be ludicrous, as they were placed in salty conditions and were much smaller than central power plants.[4][5] Their attitude had changed 6 years later, as offshore winds drove production higher than on land.[6][7] As of 2015, offshore wind power capacity is 11 GW, and there are plans for much more.[8]

A single wind turbine had been erected in Swedish waters earlier, but Vindeby was the first collection of turbines, making it the first offshore wind farm.[5] Four years later, the similar sized Tunø Knob wind farm was made.[9][10] Experience from Vindeby contributed to the development of cheaper ways to extract from offshore winds.[11]

The original government concession is for 25 years; from 1991 to 2016. In 2016, DONG Energy considered shutting down the wind farm, as it is well past its design life and had become uneconomical.[4][12]

Technology

The developers contracted Bonus Energy to supply 11 wind turbines (450 kW each) for the project, placed in shallow waters.[1] The annual power is equivalent to 2-3,000 Danish households. The turbines were modified for offshore use by sealing the towers and controlling the humidity inside, extending the life of the machinery.[13][5]

The area was also used for a wave plant in 2010.[14]

Construction

The 11 turbines were erected in 11 days.[5]

Operation

As of 2015, the farm has produced 242 GWh.[2][15]

See also

References

External links

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