Danish company Rambøll has won the contract to build one of the first truly sizeable international offshore wind turbine projects. In a joint venture with the Irish company Fehily Timoney Gifford, Rambøll will carry out the first phase in the establishment of the Arklow Bank Wind Park in the Irish Republic. The project developers, Sure Partners (a wholly owned subsidiary of eirtricity, Ireland’s largest green utility), expect to receive permission ultimately to install 200 offshore windmills along the banks. Rambøll will work with Tripod Consult Aps and SEAS. The site will cover 2 x 25 km2 and is situated off the south-east coast of the Irish Republic. The first phase has a budget in excess of DKK 500m and will extend to the end of 2002. 15-25 offshore wind turbines will be built, creating one of the largest wind farms in Europe. It will also be the first to be constructed in this depth of water and is being claimed as a breakthrough in the harnessing of alternative energy. Rambøll will undertake the concept design, tendering, contracting and supervision of the project, which will be developed in multiple phases, ultimately growing to 200 turbines generating 500 MW. This corresponds to over 10% of Ireland’s requirements.
•Rambøll aims to capitalise on the expanding world windpower market by establishing, as Denmark’s first consulting company, a completely new division for offshore wind turbine foundations, concentrating on the special technology needed to operate at depths of 20-25 metres or more.
