The European industry has been taking significant steps towards promoting the use of renewable energy sources and creating new jobs in the sector. It’s the case of the company Iberdrola, which has successfully ended the installation of its substation Baltic Eagle in German waters which is now part of Wikinger Offshore.
The construction started in 2021 when Iberdrola and 50Hertz signed a contract to build the offshore wind farm. Iemants-Fabricom was responsible for the fabrication of all the structural elements of the substation, marine contractor Heerema for its transportation and installation, and Siemens Gas and Power for the supply of all the main electrical equipment for the low voltage part managed by Iberdrola.
The substation consists of a foundation and an upper part that houses transformers and electrical equipment. Its steel four-legged foundation weighs around 2,900 tons and is anchored to the seabed with two piles driven into each leg. The cover consists of a closed five-story module. As one of the key elements of the Baltic Eagle wind farm, the substation is responsible for collecting and exporting all the electricity that this park plans to produce, calculated at about 1.9 TWh per year. This production can sustainably satisfy the demand of more than half a million households and avoid the emission of 800,000 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere each year.
The Baltic Eagle offshore wind farm is located northeast of the island of Rügen, off the coast of Pomerania in the Baltic Sea, and is designed and operated from the local port of Mukran in Sassnitz. With its 50 turbines of 9.5 MW each, it will have a capacity of 476 MW. After the installation of the turbines, the wind farm will become operational in 2024. Baltic Eagle is part of Iberdrola’s “Baltic Hub” in the Baltic Sea. Together with Wikinger (350 MW) and the projected Windanker (300 MW), the Hub will have an installed capacity of over 1.1 GW in 2026, supporting the company’s strategic focus in the region.
In the construction of a maritime substation in a wind farm for the generation of green electricity, it involves the establishment of a key infrastructure that collects, transforms, and exports the energy produced by the wind turbines, enabling the distribution of clean and renewable energy to households and industries, reducing carbon emissions and contributing to a more sustainable future.
With projects such as Baltic Eagle, the industry is working towards creating a sustainable and circular economy by reducing waste, increasing energy efficiency, and developing new business models that promote the use of renewable energy.
How is the landscape of renewable energy in Europe?
The renewable energy industry in Europe is experiencing significant growth and transformation, driven by a combination of technological advancements, policy support, and increasing public demand for clean energy.
Renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar, and biomass, are becoming increasingly cost-competitive, making them an attractive alternative to traditional fossil fuels. This has led to a rapid increase in the deployment of renewable energy technologies across Europe, particularly in countries like Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
The European Union has also set ambitious targets for renewable energy, with the goal of increasing the share of renewable energy in the energy mix to at least 32% by 2030. This has created a favorable policy environment for the renewable energy industry, with supportive policies such as feed-in tariffs, renewable energy mandates, and carbon pricing. Moreover, the renewable energy industry is creating new job opportunities across Europe, particularly in countries with strong policy support for the sector.
Overall, the renewable energy industry in Europe is poised for continued growth and transformation, with strong policy support, technological advancements, and increasing public demand driving the sector forward.