Vattenfall has awarded several major contracts for its Nordlicht offshore wind farm, a project located 85 kilometers north of the island of Borkum in the German North Sea. The contracts, which cover critical aspects of the wind farm's infrastructure, have been signed with EEW SPC, CS Wind Offshore, DEME, and Jan De Nul.
EEW SPC will supply 112 monopiles for the Nordlicht 1 and 2 projects, which together have a combined capacity of 1,610 megawatts (MW). The Nordlicht 1 farm will be supported by 68 monopiles, while Nordlicht 2 will feature 44. EEW SPC will process around 141,000 tonnes of steel at its Rostock facility for the project. The monopiles will each have a diameter of 10 meters, with production planned to start at the end of 2025 and continue through mid-2027.
Cyril Moss, Executive Project Director for the Nordlicht cluster at Vattenfall, commented, “For more than a decade, we at Vattenfall have put our trust in EEW to produce and deliver monopiles for a number of our wind farms. On Nordlicht, we will again rely on their expertise and dedication to meet our requirements and to enable us to deliver on our renewable energy commitments and on the next phase of Germany's energy transition.”
CS Wind Offshore has secured two contracts to manufacture 112 transition pieces, which are essential for the integration of turbines and foundations at both Nordlicht 1 and 2. These transition pieces will be produced at CS Wind's site in Aalborg, Denmark, with manufacturing slated to begin in 2025. Mats Vikholm, Vattenfall's Head of Project Delivery and Engineering, said, “The transition pieces are a vital component of the Nordlicht wind farms, ensuring the seamless integration of turbines and foundations. By partnering with CS Wind Offshore, we are securing high-quality solutions that align with our commitment to delivering reliable, renewable energy for millions of households.”
Additionally, DEME has been awarded the contracts for transporting and installing the 112 foundations at the Nordlicht site, as well as providing scour protection at both locations. Jan De Nul has won the contract for installing 196 kilometers of inter-array cables that will connect the 112 turbines, facilitating the transmission of electricity between them.
Scheduled for commissioning in 2028, the Nordlicht wind farm will generate enough green energy to supply electricity to over 1.7 million German households. Pending a final investment decision, expected later in 2025, offshore construction is set to begin in 2026, with full operational status anticipated by 2028.
