Project Gemini is Typhoon Offshore’s 600MW fully consented offshore wind farm. It’s the biggest offshore wind farm in the region so far. The Dutch authorities accepted the construction of three offshore wind farms 85km out of the Dutch coast in the North Sea.
The government granted subsidies for 2 projects namely Buitengaats (300MW) and ZeeEnergie (300MW) leaving Clearcamp (275MW) to serve as a future test field for new offshore technologies.
The projects should be able to generate enough electricity to 700,000 households or 1,540,000 habitants per annum which is equivalent to the number of people living in the three northern provinces of the Netherlands and equals a reduction in emissions of 1,250,000 Tons of CO2.
Typhoon Offshore owns most of the project. The independent energy innovator with offices in Amsterdam, London, Seoul and Bremen had already managed successfully three offshore wind farm with a total capacity of 602MW.
Typhoon Offshore will work in partnership with HVC a sustainable waste and energy company owned by public authorities who holds 15% of Gemini. Van Oord, an international EPC contractor serving the offshore wind industry will act as the ECP contractor executing preparatory work activities before financial close and responsible for the execution phase thereafter. Van Oord have proven their EPC capabilities on the Princess Amalia Wind Park and the Belwind Phase 1 offshore wind farm and are still working on the Teeside Offshore wind farm and the Dan Tysk project.
The project will be powered by 140 Siemens 4MW turbines which are less risky and more bankable than its competitors and that should increase project output by 10%.
Having recently redesigned the whole project, Typhoon is now awaiting approval from the Netherland’s Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovations. The new cable route running briefly through the German territory means that German authorities are also involved however Typhoon remains confident that approval will be forthcoming and that the construction will start at the beginning of 2014.
The European investment bank (EIB) is considering a €500m loan to help finance the €2.6Bn project.
Completion estimated for end 2016.
Source: typhoonoffshore.eu, rechargenews.com and windpoweroffshore.com
