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UAE-based Drydocks World, in collaboration with GE Vernova, has secured a landmark contract to deliver Ostwind 4, a 2 GW offshore wind grid connection in Germany. This ambitious project, awarded by the German transmission system operator (TSO) 50Hertz, aims to connect Baltic Sea offshore wind farms to the national grid using high-voltage direct current (HVDC) technology.
Located 30 kilometers northeast of Rügen Island, Ostwind 4 includes the construction of offshore and onshore converter stations and a 110-kilometer DC cable system linking land and sea. Notably, it marks Germany’s first deployment of a 525 kV HVDC transmission system in the Baltic Sea, signaling a significant step forward in renewable energy infrastructure.
Under the contract, Drydocks World will oversee the engineering, procurement, construction, and installation of the offshore wind converter stations’ topsides and jacket structures. The topside will be manufactured at the company’s Dubai facility and will integrate advanced equipment designed and fabricated in Europe. Once completed, the platform will be transported and installed in German waters.
GE Vernova will supply the critical HVDC technology, including voltage-sourced converters (VSC), transformers, SF6-free gas-insulated switchgear, civil works for the onshore converter station, and grid automation equipment. Additionally, the 525 kV HVDC onshore connections and offshore cable systems will be provided by NKT under a contract signed with 50Hertz in September 2023.
Commenting on the significance of the project, Stefan Kapferer, CEO of 50Hertz Transmission, stated: “The awarding of the contract to GE Vernova and Drydocks World marks the beginning of a new chapter in the use of wind energy in the Baltic Sea. 50Hertz is the first transmission system operator to deploy 2 GW / 525 kV technology in this sea area. This is pioneering work.”
Kapferer emphasized the broader vision for offshore wind development, adding, “We want to ensure that the entirety of the technically and economically viable offshore wind energy potential in the Baltic Sea is exploited, primarily with the help of direct current technology. To do this, we need to think and act in an even more networked way across national borders. One prerequisite for this is the creation of legal and regulatory conditions that enable wind farms in the waters of other EU states to be connected to the German transmission grid.”
News Source- https://www.drydocks.gov.ae/news-and-events/drydocks-world-awarded-ostwind-4-project
