EEW Special Pipe Constructions has been appointed to produce 69 monopile foundations for the first phase of the Zeevonk wind power project in the North Sea off the coast of the Netherlands. This project, which is being carried out in collaboration with Vattenfall and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, will contribute to supplying 1GW of renewable electricity by 2029.
Project details and production process
The monopile foundations will be produced at EEW's facilities in Rostock and then transported to the project site, which is located 63 to 84 kilometers from the Dutch coast. This contract was awarded to EEW following a separate agreement previously signed by DEME for the installation of these foundations. The design of the monopile foundations is such that it eliminates the need for traditional transition pieces; thus, the turbine towers will be installed directly on the foundations, reducing the use of steel and simplifying transportation and installation at sea.
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Zeevonk project and environmental commitments
The project partners announced that this approach is part of Zeevonk's environmental commitments during the permitting process. They have also planned to use low-emission steel with high recycled content in one of the foundations. Felix Wurtenberger, CEO of Zeevonk, stated that "achieving energy without fossil fuels requires looking beyond just electricity generation. We also need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with the development and construction of new energy infrastructure."
Robert Drews, CEO of EEW SPC, noted that this design allows the manufacturer to utilize its expertise in heavy steel production for foundations that require less material.
The first phase of the Zeevonk project is expected to supply 1GW of renewable electricity to the Dutch grid by 2029. However, this project still requires a final investment decision. Additionally, the second phase of this project is planned for 2032, which will have a greater capacity of 1GW of wind power and 500MW from integrated system facilities, including an electrolyzer at the Port of Rotterdam for green hydrogen production.
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