July will see construction begin at the AMBAU site in Cuxhaven, Germany of the largest offshore tower ever built for a wind turbine, measuring 7.33 metres at the base flange.
Consisting of four segments, the tower will have a total height of 106 metres; the largest segment can only be manufactured at Cuxhaven due to its length of more than 40 metres and weight in excess of 200 tonnes.
The tower will be fitted with a number of electrical and hydraulic components delivered for the project from Europe and Japan for installation by AMBAU employees; Another innovation will be a “fluororesin” coating system featuring higher wear resistance from Japan-based Chugoku Marine Paints, Ltd. Under consideration of the harsh environmental conditions Offshore Turbines are exposed to, this coating system will contribute to the corrosion resistance and thus, reduce time spent for service and maintenance.
The tower will be crowned by a 7 megawatt prototype SeaAngel nacelle from the Japanese-based turbine manufacturer. SeaAngel will feature an innovative hydraulic drive train linked to a rotor with a diameter of 167 metres. The prototype is scheduled for installation at SSE’s offshore wind turbine test site in Hunterston, Scotland in the third quarter of 2013.
“We’re very much looking forward to Mitsubishi’s exciting and challenging project … another opportunity for us to prove our mettle as a powerful partner,” said Holger Müller, Head of Sales at AMBAU GmbH.
Mitsubishi Power Systems Europe (MPSE), the advanced energy technology company, is a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), the world-renowned Japanese original equipment manufacturer.
[mappress]
Press release, July 10, 2013; Image: abmau