Donghai Bridge

Profile: Shanghai Donghai Bridge Offshore Wind Farm

Location

The Shanghai Donghai Bridge Offshore Wind Farm is located in the East China Sea, on both sides of the Donghai Bridge, spanning from Lingang New Town in Pudong New Area to Yangshan Deep Water Port in Shanghai, China. Specifically, it is situated in the Nanhui District, Pudong Xing District of Shanghai.

Project Details

• Commissioning Year: The first phase of the project was commissioned in 2009, with subsequent phases coming online in 2014 and an expansion in 2021.
• Nameplate Capacity:
  • Phase 1: 102 MW
  • Phase 2: 102 MW
  • Phase 3 (pre-construction): 150 MW
  • Expansion: 45.5 MW.
• Type: Offshore hard mount
• Owner/Operator: The main phases are operated by Shanghai Donghai Windpower CO LTD. The expansion phase is owned by Shanghai Green Environmental Protection Energy CO LTD.

Turbines and Capacity

• The wind farm uses 34 Sinovel 3MW offshore wind turbines for the initial phases, totaling a capacity of 102 MW. This project was the first to use independently developed 3MW offshore wind turbines in China.

Location and Hydrogeological Conditions

• The wind farm is 8-13 kilometers away from the shoreline, with an average water depth of 10 meters (ranging from 9.9 to 11.9 meters).
• The seabed elevation is between -10.00 and -10.67 meters, with the surface of the beach mainly consisting of silt.

Foundation Structure

• The foundation of the wind farm uses fixed pile foundations, which were chosen based on the soft clay soil conditions and design experiences from offshore oil platforms, lighthouses, and bridges. The structural designs include tripod combined foundations, 4-pod combined foundations, high pile cap pile group foundations, and single steel pipe pile foundations.

Significance and Impact

• This project is China's first national offshore wind power demonstration project and the world's first offshore wind power grid connection project outside Europe.
• It is expected to generate approximately 260-268 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, sufficient to power over 200,000 Shanghai households for a year. This reduces the need for coal by 100,000 tons and decreases carbon dioxide emissions by 200,000 tons annually.

Technological Milestones

• The project marked several "firsts" in China's wind farm construction, including the use of independently developed 3MW offshore wind turbines and the adoption of overall hoisting technology for offshore fans, which significantly shortened the construction period.

Expansion and Future Plans

• In addition to the initial phases, there is a pre-construction phase planned for 150 MW and an operating expansion of 45.5 MW as of 2021.

The Shanghai Donghai Bridge Offshore Wind Farm is a pivotal project in China's offshore wind energy development, setting important precedents in technology, construction, and environmental impact.