Siemens Gamesa has secured a firm order with ScottishPower Renewables, the UK subsidiary. Iberdrola will supply 95 units of its most powerful offshore turbine to the East Anglia 3 wind farm, the second offshore park in the Sea Wind portfolio, with a total capacity of 1.4 GW. The deal also includes an eight year maintenance contract, announced on Wednesday by the wind turbine maker.
The group notes that this agreement marks a major step in decarbonizing the energy system of the United Kingdom and represents the first installation of the country’s most powerful turbine to date.
East Anglia 3 will total 2.9 GW and forms the second of four projects within the East Anglia hub planned by Iberdrola to develop on England’s east coast. The project covers about 305 square kilometers and will sit about 69 kilometers from Norfolk at its closest point to shore. When completed, it will deliver clean energy to 1.3 million homes in the UK.
start date spring 2026
Installation is slated to begin in the spring of 2026 and wrap up by year end. Marc Becker, CEO of Siemens Gamesa Offshore, states that East Anglia 3 is vital to the UKs energy decarbonisation efforts and energy independence.
He adds that this project also marks the first use of the SG 14-236 DD offshore turbine in British waters. In a challenging period, signing this order with ScottishPower Renewables is a positive sign, and he calls for continued UK government action to mirror the importance of gas in the energy mix.
Siemens Gamesa highlights that the macroeconomic environment remains extremely challenging for wind turbine manufacturers. The deal was made possible through close cooperation among all parties involved. The company urges the British Government to support the renewable energy sector to keep delivering projects that help the country meet its renewable targets for 2030.
Charlie Jordan, chief executive of ScottishPower Renewables, notes that the turbines will generate enough clean energy to power 1.3 million British homes. Siemens Energy will provide a grid connection solution to ensure the electricity reaches the coastline efficiently.
Under the contract signed previously, Siemens Energy will build an offshore converter to collect alternating current from Siemens Gamesa wind turbines and convert it to direct current for transmission to shore in the most efficient manner. A second onshore converter will transform the energy back to alternating current to feed the local network and homes.
The SG 14-236 DD prototype has recently begun generating power at the Osterild test center in Denmark. Since its launch, this turbine model has been selected as a preferred supplier in Denmark and Poland for a total of 2.8 GW.