A consortium comprising GE Vernova and Drydocks World has secured the Ostwind 4 project contract from 50Hertz, a German transmission system operator (TSO).
The contract will see the construction of a 2GW high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) electric transmission system, claimed to be the first of its type in the German Baltic Sea, to connect an offshore wind farm to the German grid.
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The GE Vernova and Drydocks World consortium will undertake the design, construction, and commissioning of the Ostwind 4 project.
The system will be located in the Arkona Basin, 30km north-east of Rügen Island. It will transport up to 2GW of offshore wind energy to the mainland, providing renewable electricity to nearly two million households.
The completion of the project is provisionally scheduled for the end of 2031. It is expected to feature an advanced bipolar HVDC transmission system operating at 525kV, which will ensure efficient energy transport with minimal losses over long distances.
The consortium is tasked with delivering both the offshore converter platform and the onshore converter station.
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By GlobalDataGE Vernova will supply advanced HVDC technology, including voltage-sourced converters, high-voltage transformers, g3 gas-insulated switchgear, air-core reactors, and civil works for the onshore converter station and grid automation telecommunications equipment.
GE Vernova’s HVDC Competence Center in Berlin, Germany, will focus on developing technology to improve grid stability and integrate more renewable energy sources.
Meanwhile, Drydocks World will handle the design, fabrication, and installation of the offshore converter platform, which includes the jacket substructure and topside.
Constructed at Drydocks World’s Dubai facility, the platform will feature a U-shaped jacket substructure with integrated nature-inclusive scour protection, aiming to enhance marine biodiversity and minimise environmental impact.
50Hertz CEO Stefan Kapferer said: “The awarding of the contract to GE Vernova and Drydock World marks the beginning of a new chapter in the use of wind energy in the Baltic Sea. 50Hertz is the first transmission system operator to deploy 2GW/525kV technology in this sea area.
“This is pioneering work. We want to ensure that the entirety of the technically and economically viable offshore wind energy potential in the Baltic Sea is exploited, primarily with the help of direct current technology.
“To do this, we need to think and act in an even more networked way across national borders. One prerequisite for this is the creation of legal and regulatory conditions that enable wind farms in the waters of other EU states to be connected to the German transmission grid.”
The Ostwind 4 project aligns with Germany’s Energiewende framework, which targets phasing out coal by 2030 and achieving net zero emissions by 2045.
GE Vernova Electrification business CEO Philippe Piron said: “Ostwind 4 represents a crucial milestone in our mission to electrify and decarbonize with the energy to change the world.
“By leveraging our advanced HVDC technology, this key infrastructure project underscores the essential role of offshore wind to ensure European energy security and to accelerate the global energy transition.
“This order also highlights the rapid growth in GE Vernova’s electrification segment, our fastest growing business, as our customers invest in the grid.”
