Navantia and Windar sign their third order for “monopiles”in less than a year
Next summer will begin the manufacture of the 77 monopiles that will generate employment for half a thousand workers
Navantia and Windar Renovables have just signed the third order for "monopiles" for the Fene shipyard (A Coruña) in less than a year. Danish multinational Ørsted and Polish energy group PGE have ordered the production of 77 single-leg foundations in former Astano, in the largest sealed order of its kind to date. They will hold the wind turbines of the Baltica 2 park, of 1.5 megawatts, which both companies will promote in Polish waters of the Baltic Sea.
For Navantia, "the agreement represents the consolidation of Spanish manufacturers as global suppliers and reference partners for the main world developers", in a market segment that covers 80% of the structures of marine parks.
The manufacture of the 77 monopiles will begin in next year’s summer, and will involve 1.5 million working hours over around two years. Its execution will mean employment for some 450 workers not only for Navantia and Windar Renovables, but also for the auxiliary industry. Four of the "monopiles" will support the electrical substation of the enclosure, while the remaining 73 will support the windmills. The foundations will have a maximum of 110 meters-length, over 2,000 tons of weight and a diameter over 11 meters.
Ørsted, world leader in the development and construction of offshore wind farms, pioneered offshore wind power in 1991 with the construction of the world's first offshore wind farm in Denmark. They, currently, develop, build and operate wind and solar farms in Europe, the United States and Asia-Pacific.
The president of the public company, Ricardo Domínguez, asserted the agreement with a world-class developer places the firm as a reference actor in the field of offshore wind energy. "It consolidates our commitment together with Windar for this new product, the XXL 'monopile', and strengthens our position as a global supplier," he stated, at the same time as he stressed the company's pride in "being able to contribute to the development of renewables in Europe".
"This order placed by Ørsted confirms our forecasts that we expect, a strong activity increase in the sector, for which Windar is reinforcing its corporate structure and working to increase its capacities so that we can improve the high standards of quality and range of manufacturing that we already offer to our clients", said Orlando Alonso, Executive President of the firm based in Asturias.
"Offshore wind farming has great potential for Spain, not only as a large-scale source of its own green energy, but also as an industry that creates local employment and global export opportunities for Spanish suppliers such as Navantia Seanergies-Windar, consolidated as a provider of 'monopile' foundations for offshore wind farms,” said Marianne Back Hassl, Market Manager Offshore Wind Iberia.
At the moment, Navantia Seanergies is currently working on a project for the Danish company at its facilities in Puerto Real (Cádiz), consisting on transition pieces for two wind farms in the United States, Revolution and Ocean Wind.
At the end of July last year, Navantia and Windar announced the order for 14 "monopiles" for the Spanish company Ocean Winds and, in April, for 45 one-legged structures for Iberdrola.
(Source: La Voz de Galicia)