Windpark Fryslân Starts Construction with First MP Installation

September 8, 2020 | Renewables | Energy Facts Staff Writer | 2min

On September 7, 2020, the construction of Windpark Fryslân started with the piling of the first of the 89 foundation piles in the bottom of the IJsselmeer. This is an important milestone for this special project that will generate green electricity for approximately 500,000 households by 2021.

Unique work platform
Wind farm Fryslân is being built in the Frisian part of the IJsselmeer near Breezanddijk. Due to the shallows waters in the IJsselmeer and the width of the locks, it´s not possible to work with standard offshore wind equipment. To overcome this, Van Oord built a unique work platform, the size of half a football field, the so-called ‘Sarens Soccer Pitch’. On top of this working platform is a large crane which is used to install the foundations. The work platform will also be used for the installation of the wind turbines.

Tailing a Monopile offshore cranes Windpark Fryslân, IJsselmeer

The Zuiderzeewind contractor consortium will be working 7 days a week, 24 hours a day on the installation of the foundations in the coming months. Depending on the weather, about two foundation piles go into the bottom of the IJsselmeer every day. Driving a foundation pile takes between 30 and 90 minutes. The planning is that all foundation piles will be in place by January 2021 .

Customization in the IJsselmeer
The wind turbines of Windpark Fryslân will be placed in a ‘cluster’, in the shape of a hexagon, in the IJsselmeer. This shape ensures that the wind turbines restrict the view of the horizon as little as possible. The construction of the wind farm takes place in various phases. The first step is the piling and installation of the 89 foundation piles in the IJsselmeer. Subsequently, underground cables will be pulled between the foundation piles and the transformer station at Breezanddijk. Construction of the 89 wind turbines will start in the spring of 2021 and the wind farm will be operational in the summer of 2021.

Sustainable future for Fryslân
The Fryslân wind farm is being built by the Zuiderzeewind contractor consortium, which consists of Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy and Van Oord Offshore Wind. The wind farm contains 89 wind turbines of 4.3 MW. With a capacity of 382.7 MW, Wind Farm Fryslân can supply green electricity for approximately 500,000 households. In addition to the 89 wind turbines in the IJsselmeer, there will be a transformer station at Breezanddijk and a working and nature island at Kornwerderzand.