Horns Reef 1

Horns Rev 1 Wind Farm Profile

Location

Horns Rev 1 is located in the North Sea, approximately 14 to 20 kilometers off the west coast of Denmark's Jutland peninsula, near Blåvands Huk.

Ownership

The wind farm is jointly owned by Vattenfall (60%) and Ørsted (formerly DONG Energy, 40%).

History

Horns Rev 1 was the world's first large-scale offshore wind farm. It was initiated by the Danish government in the 1990s and constructed by the Danish energy company Elsam. The wind farm was inaugurated in 2002 and celebrated its 20th anniversary of operation in 2023.

Technical Specifications

• Turbines: The wind farm consists of 80 Vestas V80 2.0 MW wind turbines. Each turbine has an 80-meter rotor diameter and a 70-meter hub height, weighing between 439 and 489 tons.
• Capacity: The total capacity of the wind farm is 160 MW.
• Layout: The turbines are installed in a grid pattern, spaced 560 meters apart, covering a total area of 20 square kilometers.
• Foundation: Horns Rev 1 was one of the first offshore wind farms to use monopile technology, where each turbine rests on a single steel pile driven into the seabed.

Electrical Infrastructure

• Interconnection: The turbines are interconnected via a 33 kilovolt cable system. The power is then transformed to 150 kV at a transformer platform on the edge of the wind farm.
• Submarine Cable: The electricity is transmitted to the shore through a 21-kilometer submarine cable to Hvidbjerg Strand. This cable, manufactured in Norway, is the first plastic-insulated 150 kV cable in the world and is also the thickest submarine cable ever made.

Performance and Impact

• Electricity Generation: The wind farm generates enough electricity to power approximately 150,000 private homes, which is nearly 2% of Denmark's total electricity consumption.
• Wind Conditions: The site benefits from ideal wind conditions, with an average wind speed of 10 meters per second, which is significantly better than onshore conditions. Offshore wind turbines can produce almost twice as much electricity as similar turbines on land due to the stronger and more consistent winds.
• Environmental Impact: The wind farm was subject to an environmental impact assessment, which considered physical, biological, and human activity aspects. Measures were taken to minimize the environmental impact, particularly on bird migrations and marine life.

Operations and Maintenance

• Challenges: The project faced several technical and logistical challenges, including developing methods for safe and efficient maintenance. Initially, small boats were used, but later, helicopters were adopted to transport personnel and tools to the turbines.
• Current Status: The wind farm has been in operation for over 20 years, with high availability and stable operation. Some of the original service technicians are still working at the site, contributing to its reliable performance.

Significance

• Pioneering Project: Horns Rev 1 marked the beginning of the offshore wind industry. It pioneered several technologies, including monopile foundations and converters on the rotor of the generator, which are now industry standards.
• Industry Development: The success of Horns Rev 1 has led to significant growth in the offshore wind sector, with over 60 GW of offshore wind capacity installed worldwide as of 2023. It is estimated that another 380 GW will be added globally over the next ten years.

Milestones

• Individual Turbine Achievements: One of the turbines, number 6, has generated 100 GWh of electricity, enough to supply all the households in the Danish city of Vejle or Canterbury in the UK with power for an entire year.

Horns Rev 1 has been a groundbreaking project that has set the stage for the expansion of offshore wind energy globally.