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In the 1980s, wind energy was limited to developers who followed onshore applications and their barriers. Offshore use for an entire wind farm was unheard of and untested. By installing 11 turbines off the coast of Vindeby, the Vindeby Wind farm changed how the industry invested in offshore wind farms and expanded the wind industry to the seas.
Wind turbines were smaller then, and it was only a test project. Today, the trailblazers at Vindeby – Ørsted and Siemens Gamesa – eventually grew into two companies that are now major players in the offshore wind industry. The knowledge gained from the farm–both the installation and operations also showed that offshore use for wind energy would be a huge market.
Another reason wind power has developed rapidly in the offshore wind sector is the development of technology for offshore turbines. The wind farm also contributed by helping the government see the feasibility of cost by collecting the data throughout the wind farm’s 25-year life.
Who built the first offshore wind farm in 1991?
Elkraft and Bonus Energy built the Vindeby Offshore Wind farm. Eventually, Elkraft became Ørsted–the leading company in offshore wind farm developments globally (excluding China) today. The current offshore wind capacity of Orsted is 9.9 GW.
Bonus Energy did very well, too. Bonus Energy eventually became Siemens Gamesa, the manufacturer of SG 14-222 DD–one of the largest wind turbines in the industry.
Siemens Gamesa is now one of the world’s most prominent wind turbine manufacturers, with 18 GW of installed capacity. Siemens Gamesa turbines are installed all over Europe and the world.
Where was the first offshore wind farm?
The first offshore wind farm in the world was located off the coast of Vindeby, Denmark, on the island of Lolland. Ørsted decommissioned it in 2017 after a successful operation of 25 years.
How much power did the Vindeby Offshore Wind Farm produce?
The wind farm had been operating for 25 years and delivered an average of 9.6 gigawatt-hours annually. In total, the wind farm had produced 243 gigawatt-hours of electricity.
What turbines did Vindeby Offshore Wind Farm use?
The project used 11 Bonus 450 kW. Bonus Energy eventually became Siemens Gamesa.
The turbines were placed atop 33-meter tubular towers with three blades and 450 kW synchronous generators. Each blade measured 17 meters. One turbine is 37.5 meters high if including the hub.
The turbines used concrete foundations back then to install the turbines in shallow waters.
How did offshore wind turbines improve in the last 30 years?
The past 30 years have shown that improvements in the technology of offshore wind farms are nothing short of phenomenal.
From the 17-meter blade length in 1991 at Vindeby Wind farm, today’s turbines can be as long as 111 meters for the Siemens Gamesa SG 14-222 DD.
When was Vindeby Offshore Wind decommissioned?
DONG Energy (now called Ørsted) dismantled Vindeby in 2016.
At the time of its decommissioning, Orsted had already installed 1,000 offshore wind turbines in Denmark, Germany, and the UK.
Why was Vindeby Offshore Wind Farm decommissioned?
After 25 years of operations, Orsted decided in 2017 that the project was no longer economical.
Nonetheless, the impact of the 4.95 MW offshore wind farm cannot be overstated. From a small offshore wind farm that paved the way for the industry, offshore wind is projected at more than 200 GW by 2030.
The wind farm demonstrated that offshore wind turbines are a feasible way to power a community over the long term. Siemens Gamesa celebrated the 30th anniversary of the farm with an infographic illustrating the roadmap for the company.
Who owned the Vindeby Offshore Wind Farm?
The European Commission jumpstarted the project’s funding in 1988 based on the project proposal by Elkraft Power Company Ltd.
Ørsted decommissioned Vindeby in 2017, after 25 years of operations.
While the goal was to gain more knowledge about the sea conditions and operations of offshore wind, the project eventually operated for 25 years.
What is the oldest offshore wind farm?
Vindeby Offshore Wind farm was the oldest unit Ørsted decommissioned in 2017. In 2021, the wind farm celebrated its 30th year from the time of commissioning.
The wind farm is four years ahead of the famous Tunø Knob wind farm, which is still operational in the Bay of Aarhus, Denmark.
What awards did Vindeby Wind Farm receive?
Project Management Institute ranked Vindeby Offshore Wind Farm 32nd in its world’s 2019 list of 50 most influential projects in the past 50 years. The offshore wind farm project was listed ahead of big-ticket projects such as the Large Hadron Collider, Wikipedia, and Star Wars. In the top 50 list, the wind farm is one of only two renewable energy projects. The other energy project is Tengger Desert Solar Park in China at 48th.