Spanish utility Iberdrola has announced the installation of the first turbine of the 476 MW Baltic Eagle offshore wind farm in the German Baltic Sea.
The offshore wind project will have another 49 Vestas V174-9.5MW wind turbines. It is set to be fully operational by the end of this year.
Installation of the first turbine marks the commencement of the final stage in its construction, which began in August 2022.
Owned by Iberdrola and UAE’s Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar), the Baltic Eagle offshore wind farm will meet the electricity requirements of nearly 475,000 German homes. Besides, the project is estimated to offset carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 800,000 tons per year.
Iberdrola Deutschland CEO Felipe Montero said: “My special thanks go to the Baltic Eagle team for their tireless efforts and outstanding performance. Thanks to the support of Vestas and our partner Masdar, we are confident that we will successfully complete what so far has been an outstanding construction campaign.
“With the commissioning of Baltic Eagle, the second offshore wind farm in our Baltic Hub, Iberdrola Deutschland continues its growth path, making a significant contribution to Germany’s Energy Transition.”
Each of the Baltic Eagle offshore wind farm turbines are designed to have an output of 9.52MW. Their rotor diameter is 174m while hub height is 107m.
According to Iberdrola, the offshore wind project features optimised rotor blades, each measuring 85m in length. The blades are said to be designed for aerodynamic efficiency and to reduce loads.
After their assembling is over, the turbines will stand tall at a height of 194m.
The Baltic Eagle offshore wind farm is being built 30km northeast of the Rügen island, off the Pomerania coast.
In July 2023, Masdar joined the project by taking a 49% stake from Iberdrola. The deal valued Baltic Eagle at nearly €1.6bn.
Masdar global offshore wind director Husain Al Meer said: “Masdar has a long-standing commitment to advancing offshore wind projects across the globe. Baltic Eagle will provide clean, renewable power to hundreds of thousands of homes, reducing carbon emissions and supporting Germany with its energy transition.
“We look forward to seeing the project come to life over the coming months, delivering tangible benefits to the local community and setting a precedent for sustainable energy solutions.”
