Nysted

Nysted Offshore Wind Farm Profile

Location

The Nysted Offshore Wind Farm, also known as Rødsand, is located approximately 10 km south of the city of Nysted on the island of Lolland, Denmark, and around 13 km west of Gedser.

Construction and Operation

• The wind farm was constructed between 2002 and 2003 by a consortium including Energy E2, SEAS, DONG, and Sydkraft.
• It was one of the largest offshore wind farms in the world at the time of its completion and began operation in 2003.

Capacity and Turbines

• The initial phase, Rødsand I, consists of 72 wind turbines, each with a capacity of 2.3 MW, resulting in a total capacity of 165.6 MW.
• Each turbine has a rotor diameter of 82.4 meters.

Ownership

• The ownership of the wind farm has changed over time. As of the latest updates, Ørsted (formerly DONG Energy) holds a 42.7% share. Other partners include Stadtwerke Lübeck and PensionDanmark.

Technical Details

• The wind farm uses gravity base foundations instead of piles due to ice conditions in the area.
• The water depth in the wind farm area ranges between 5.5 and 9.5 meters, with the seabed primarily consisting of sand, along with some pebbles, gravel, and shell.

Environmental Impact

• A study was conducted to assess the impact of the wind farm on seals in the nearby Rødsand seal sanctuary. The study used remote-controlled web-based camera systems to monitor seal behavior and found that the construction work had no significant or permanent effects on the presence and behavior of harbour seals and grey seals in the area.

Economic and Environmental Benefits

• The wind farm produces approximately 570 GWh of electricity annually, which is equivalent to the electricity consumption of about 140,000 Danish homes. This production helps save around 500,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.
• The wind farm operates with a high availability rate, reported to be around 97% as of 2013.

Extensions and Upgrades

• An extension, Rødsand II, was installed in 2010 by E.ON, adding a further 207 MW of capacity. This extension was completed ahead of schedule and began operation in August 2010.

Operational Management

• The wind farm is operated from onshore control stations, and no staff is required at the site. The turbines are connected to a transformer station on site, which then transmits the power to the high voltage grid at the coast.

Financial Aspects

• The initial investment cost for the Nysted Wind Farm was approximately DKK 1,600 million (around €214 million). The costs are broken down into various components, including turbine installation, transformer stations, and environmental analyses.