Member Article

Humber Gateway offshore wind farm hits project landmark

TAG Energy Solutions has achieved a significant landmark in its project to produce foundations for the Humber Gateway offshore wind farm.

North East England-based TAG Energy Solutions has undertaken the load out and sailaway of four 60-metre long, 650 tonne monopile foundations and four transition pieces, which are destined for the wind farm, which is situated 8km off the Yorkshire Coast close to the mouth of the Humber Estuary.

The foundations are part of a project to deliver 16 monopiles and transition pieces for the Humber Gateway development. The remaining 12 foundations will sailaway from TAG Energy Solutions’ 42-acre site on the River Tees before the end of August.

The first set of monopiles was loaded onto a barge by Self Propelled Modular Transporter (SPMT) with the transition pieces lifted by crane onto the barge at TAG Energy Solutions’ wet dock facility.

The barge was then taken down the River Tees were it met the MPI Discovery vessel before sailaway to the wind farm development. The Humber Gateway will consist of a 73-turbine array that will generate up to 219MW of electricity, which is enough energy to power 170,000 homes.

With the award of this project, TAG Energy Solutions became the first UK manufacturer to secure a substantial monopile and transition piece project for a wind farm in British waters.

As the UK’s premier full service offshore wind serial foundation manufacturer, TAG Energy Solutions has made considerable investments to enable it to deliver projects of this nature.

It has created the UK’s only dedicated Tubular Production Facility at its base on the North East Coast of England, which has the ability to roll and weld large diameter steel tubes that form the monopiles and transition pieces used in offshore wind farm construction.,

Stuart Oakley, chief executive of TAG Energy Solutions, said: “We are very pleased to see the first four foundations make their way from Teesside to the Humber Gateway wind farm.

“This is a landmark project, which has utilised a strong blend of new technology and an experienced and highly-skilled workforce, highlighting the capabilities of TAG Energy Solutions and the wider UK offshore wind supply chain.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Burnett .