Siemens to supply wind turbines to first Finnish offshore wind farm

Ten Siemens SWT-4.0-130 wind turbines will supply clean energy for approximately 8,600 electrically heated Finnish households (Image courtesy of Shutterstock). Siemens has been awarded its first commercial offshore wind order from Finland. The company will supply, install and commission 10 wind turbines for Suomen Hyötytuuli Oy, each with a capacity of 4 megawatts and a rotor diameter of 130 meters, for the Tahkoluoto offshore wind farm in the Baltic Sea. Installation of the wind turbines is scheduled to begin in the summer of 2017, with the start of operations expected by autumn 2017. With a capacity of 40 megawatts, and an annual net power production of over 155 Gigawatt hours, the offshore wind power plant will generate enough power to supply 8,600 electrically heated Finnish single-family houses with clean energy. Siemens will also be responsible for servicing the wind turbines. "This order marks a significant milestone for Siemens. The project is not only the first offshore wind farm in Finland, but will also be used by the Finnish government to demonstrate that offshore wind power is a feasible solution for this area," said Michael Hannibal, CEO Offshore of the Siemens Wind Power and Renewables Division. "This project is attracting a great deal of attention throughout the entire Baltic region, and will open doors for Siemens in the emerging offshore markets in this region." Tahkoluoto offshore wind farm is located approximately 0.5 to 3 kilometers from shore in water from 8 to 15 meters deep. Siemens states that the wind turbines will be mounted on specially designed, gravity-based steel foundations in order to withstand heavy ice loading. The government of Finland is also contributing EUR 20 million toward the demonstration project in icing conditions. "The conditions for offshore wind power are excellent in Finland. We have a long coastline, windy conditions, shallow waters, and a hard seafloor," says Toni Sulameri, the Managing Director of Suomen Hyötytuuli Oy. In 2010, Siemens already supplied one wind turbine with a capacity of 2.3 megawatts to Suomen Hyötytuuli Oy for the Pori pilot project, located 1.2 km off the Finnish coast. This pilot turbine will be surrounded by the 10 wind turbines of the Tahkoluoto wind farm.