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RWE has reached a significant milestone in the development of its flagship Sofia Offshore Wind Farm with the successful installation of the Offshore Converter Platform (OCP). This platform converts high voltage alternating current (AC) to high voltage direct current (DC) and represents RWE’s first offshore deployment of High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) technology. The installation is crucial for keeping the 1.4 gigawatt (GW) project on schedule for full operation by 2026. Once completed, Sofia will generate enough electricity to power approximately 1.2 million typical UK homes.
The massive OCP structure, constructed over two and a half years and requiring more than 13 million work hours, was transported from Batam Yard in Indonesia to the North Sea. The HVDC technology employed will enable highly efficient transmission of the wind farm’s electrical output, minimizing power losses along the 220km cable route to shore.
Once operational, the Sofia Offshore Wind Farm, situated on Dogger Bank, 195 kilometers off the northeast coast of the UK, will deliver low-carbon electricity generated by 100 Siemens Gamesa 14 megawatt (MW) wind turbines. The energy will be transmitted through subsea export cables to landfall in Redcar, Teesside, 220 kilometers away.
These turbines, featuring cutting-edge offshore wind technology, stand 252 meters tall and are equipped with 108-meter carbon and fiberglass blades, with a 222-meter diameter rotor sweeping an area of 39,000 m². Notably, 44 of the 100 turbines will feature recyclable blades, further enhancing the project’s sustainability.
Sven Utermöhlen, CEO RWE Offshore Wind: “The successful installation of the OCP, the largest converter platform of its kind in the offshore wind industry, is a proud moment for RWE and everyone involved. This project not only highlights our commitment to leading the way on offshore wind, but demonstrates the scale and complexity of what can be achieved when we all work together.”
