Foundations Works at German Amrumbank West OWF Set for This Fall

E.ON has begun the construction phase of German Amrumbank West offshore wind farm, the company said in its report for the first half of 2013. Installation of foundations at the project’s site is scheduled for this fall (most likely in October).

In April, the company started the preparatory work for constructing the offshore wind farm north-west of Helgoland with installation of the scour protection. Two layers of special sand bags were placed on the seabed to prevent the sea current from washing away the sand around the wind turbine foundations, thus ensuring turbine stability.

E.ON’s aim is to reduce the construction and operating cost of offshore wind farms by 40% by 2015. In that respect, separating the scour protection from the installation of the foundations has significant logistical advantages so it helps to further reduce the cost of this energy source.

“At our renewables business, in July we officially inaugurated London Array, the world’s largest offshore wind farm, and we’ve begun building Amrumbank West wind farm in the North Sea,” Dr. Johannes Teyssen, CEO of E.ON said in an accompanying letter.

The company says that it expects EBITDA in its Renewables business to be higher in 2013, in particular because of increases in installed wind and solar capacity.