The HelWin1 platform uses Siemens technology to transform the alternating current power generated by the wind turbines into low-loss direct current for transmission onto land. From next year, this will enable network operator and purchaser TenneT to supply clean electricity to more than 500,000 German households on the mainland. The land-based station, also supplied by Siemens to TenneT, is located northwest of Hamburg in Büttel, where electricity will be converted back into the alternating current power required for feeding into the grid. 

“With the installation of our platform at sea we have successfully mastered the most critical part of this project and are now in the final stretch for commissioning in 2014,” said Karlheinz Springer, CEO of the power transmission division within the energy sector of Siemens AG. 

“Installation of the platform for HelWin1 constitutes reaching a key milestone in our series of grid connection projects. The transmission capacity of our projects involves a total of 6.2 gigawatts of electric power from renewable sources. TenneT is thus contributing to offshore wind energy assuming a substantial role in the future’s energy supply,” added Lex Hartman, a member of the TenneT management board.

The network operator TenneT contracted the consortium consisting of Siemens and the Italian cable specialist Prysmian for the HelWin1 offshore grid connection in 2010. This consortium is implementing a total of four North Sea grid connection projects for TenneT: HelWin1 and HelWin2 off of Helgoland, BorWin2 off of Borkum and SylWin1 off of Sylt.