Belgium Propels Offshore Wind Energy
Northwester 2 in Belgium will be the world’s first offshore wind park to feature the V164-9.5 MW turbine from MHI Vestas Offshore Wind.
It’s full steam ahead for Belgium’s next offshore wind park as MHI Vestas and Parkwind confirm the firm order for the supply and installation of 23 V164-9.5 MW turbines for Northwester 2. Installation is scheduled to begin in late 2019.
Both companies attribute the fast installation timetable to a highly collaborative approach, supply chain readiness, and the industrialisation of offshore wind in Belgium.
Parkwind estimates that the 219 MW project will provide more than 1,000 direct and indirect jobs during the construction phase and 100 long-term jobs for operations and maintenance.
The firm order, which follows financial close for the project achieved on October 5, includes a 15-year service agreement for MHI Vestas, and comes as the Belgian government is preparing for additional offshore wind capacity, up to 4 GW by 2025.
MHI Vestas Offshore Wind is a joint venture between Vestas Wind Systems A/S 50% and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) 50%. The company’s focus is to design, manufacture, install and service wind turbines for the offshore wind industry.
