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 rendering: Ramboll UK
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Greater Gabbard offshore windfarm23km south east of Orford Ness, Suffolk, UKAs part of the UK Government's bid to meet EU 2020 renewable energy targets, our energy team is working with Ramboll Denmark to achieve the construction of what will be the world's largest offshore windfarm when it is completed in 2010. Located approximately 26km off the Suffolk coastof England, bordering the Inner Gabbard and Galloper sand banks, Greater Gabbard will consist of 140 Siemans 3.6MW wind turbines on towers 77.3m high. The rotor diameters will be 107m. The windfarm is expected to produce 504MW of power — enough to power 415,000 homes. An extensive geotechnical site survey, including cone penetration tests (CPTs), enabled us to build a computer model of the soil conditions and water depths, which vary from 22.4m to 31.7m. The rigorous design process for the towers takes into account wind loads, wave loads, fatigue and ship impact. The structures will be secured to the seabed using monopiles ranging from 27m to 31m in length. To optimise generating potential and make efficient use of steel — the lighter weight the structure, the better the cost per MW generated — each structure is individually designed according to its location. |
