Siemens Gamesa SG 14-222 DD Offshore Wind Turbines to Power 2.6-GW Dominion Energy Project

Zamudio, Spain - Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy recently presented the new SG 14-222 DD offshore wind turbine with a capacity of up to 15 MW. The new top-class wind turbines could be installed in Dominion Energy's huge offshore wind farm in the USA.

The most powerful offshore wind farm to date, with a capacity of 2,640 MW, is to be built in the USA. It has been known since January 2020 that Siemens Gamesa is the preferred turbine supplier. Now it seems clear that the new 15 MW offshore turbines will be used. The agreement is subject to certain conditions, including Dominion Energy's final investment decision and the issuance of regulatory and other necessary approvals.

2,640 MW offshore wind farm to be built in Virginia

Utility company Dominion Energy plans to build the 2,640 MW offshore wind farm off the coast of Virginia Beach. The Richmond-based US company has set itself the goal of reducing carbon emissions by 55 percent by 2030. As an offshore research project, Dominion Energy has started construction of the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project in 2019 with a capacity of 12 MW. Two 6 MW wind turbines SWT-6.0-154 from Siemens Gamesa are being used here. With this pilot project, Dominion Energy intends to leverage key experience gained from the permitting, design and development of this project to subsequently build the huge commercial CVOW offshore project by 2026.

Focus on procurement and supply chain decisions for the US market

Siemens Gamesa is working with local stakeholders to investigate a potential manufacturing site on the east coast for the rotor blades of these huge turbines. However, the timetable is still very imprecise. As Siemens points out, it is expected that decisions on procurement and the supply chain for the U.S. market will be made "within the next year".

New giant: 15 MW offshore wind turbine to be deployed

In May 2020, Siemens Gamesa presented the SG 14-222 DD offshore wind turbine with direct drive. The turbine's output reaches 14 MW and can be increased to up to 15 MW with the power boost function. The new offshore wind turbine is characterized by a low nacelle weight of only 500 tons. For the rotor with a diameter of 222 meters the new Siemens Gamesa B108 rotor blades will be used. The 108-meter-long "IntegralBlade" rotor blades are each casted in one piece using patented Siemens Gamesa blade technologies.

“It’s only fitting that the U.S.’s largest offshore wind project will feature the largest installation announced to date of Siemens Gamesa’s largest offshore wind turbine. We are proud to partner with Dominion Energy on such a significant project,” says Steve Dayney, Head of Offshore North America at Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy.

Source: IWR Online, 05 Jun 2020