Wind Energy

Nexans wins a 39 million Euros contract for an offshore wind farm project in Belgium

The wind power project is on the Bligh Bank, 46km off the coast of Zeebrugge. On project completion, Nexans’ cable technology will transmit environmentally friendly wind power to some 165,000 households in Belgium. Belwind NV is owned by Colruyt, Rabobank Project Equity, SHV, Meewind and Participatie Maatschappij Vlaanderen.

Nexans will supply and install 52km of 170kV high voltage power export cable with an optical fibre insert to the Dutch EPC contractor, Van Oord Dredging & Marine Contractors b.v. Van Oord is the EPC contractor for the first phase of the wind farm project. The optical fibre elements will be manufactured at Nexans’ factory at Rognan, Norway, while the export cable will be made at the company’s factory located in Halden, Norway.

The cable will connect the windfarm, comprising 55 wind turbines that will generate a total of 165MW, to the Belgian power network. The cable will be laid by Nexans’ cable-laying vessel C/S Nexans Skagerrak and buried into the seabed using Nexans’ CapJet trenching system. Delivery is scheduled for the summer of 2010, with the wind farm coming on stream in 2011.

“We have acquired considerable experience in the supply of power cables for this type of wind energy project and are pleased that our technology has, once again, been chosen. Renewable energy production is a key area for us and, as our past successes have demonstrated, Nexans plays an integral role in the development of this exciting market”, says Yvon Raak, Senior Corporate Executive Vice President.

Winds of change for the energy industry

Market challengesTo meet the demand for renewable energy, many power providers are turning to windpower which is expected to produce 12% of the world’s energy by 2020. Larger turbines on land and offshore require secure distribution links, remote management capability, and the stabilization of a variable energy source.

What wind park power utilities expect from cable manufacturers

* Expertise and engineering assistance at the design stage, including feasibility studies
* Onshore and offshore turnkey capability for transmission and distribution. This includes full mastery of installation, both in remote land-based and offshore sites, and specialized installation equipment.
* A comprehensive range of high-quality windfarm infrastructure cables and accessories from one supplier at competitive prices
* Constant innovation to meet evolving technologies and standards

Nexans interconnects large wind turbines and complete windparks to local or distant grids. For medium and high-voltage cables, we oversee complete installation, from initial pre-qualification, design, customized production, logistics, installation, testing and pre-commissioning, including accessories.

Nexans expertise for a revolutionary technology

* World supplier of underground cables, submarine cables, overhead conductors and data/telecom systems
* Close partnership with developers, power utilities, installers and contractors
* Mastery of maritime conditions based on oil & gas submarine energy and telecom cabling experience
* Unsurpassed onshore and offshore installation experience and design capabilities, using advanced equipment, special software for overhead transmission line and dynamic cable applications
* Complete range of accessories: purpose designed joints, terminations, transition joints between various types of cable.

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