Equinor will only install seven of the 11 floating wind turbines planned for its Hywind Tampen project this year, as supply chain issues force commissioning to be pushed back.
The 88-megawatt (MW), 11-turbine scheme is currently billed as the world’s largest floating wind power project, and will provide electricity for the Snorre and Gullfaks oil and gas fields.
Work had been planned to conclude by the end of this year, however the Norwegian energy major said supply chain bottlenecks – in particular the global market for steel – would “preclude delivery” of the final four tower sections for the wind turbines until September 2022.
This date would be too late in its installation weather window for this year, forcing postponement of the remaining four turbines until next year.
Siemens Gamesa is supplying the towers, nacelles and blades for the project, but found “deviations in steel quality in four tower sections”, Equinor said in a statement.
While corrective action was taken, the current steel market headwinds has delayed delivery.
“Siemens Gamesa is working closely with their suppliers and Equinor to expedite all deliveries,” the statement added.
The first turbines arrived at the site about 90 miles off the Norwegian coast in early June, and seven will come on stream this year as planned. The final four will be installed next spring.
“Seven turbines have been assembled and four are now installed on the field. The plan is to start production during the year and supply electricity first to Gullfaks, then to the Snorre field,” noted project director Olav-Bernt Haga.
At its full 88 MW capacity, the scheme is expected to meet 35% of the power demand at the two fields – though the seven units at 60MW would already cement the project’s status as the world’s largest floating wind farm Equinor added.
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