Ventolines has signed on as offshore wind expertise partner for the Mayflower Wind project off Massachusetts. The Dutch renewable energy expert will advise the project in the field of T&I (transport and installation). In addition, the company announced that it has opened a new office in Boston to serve the US offshore wind market.
The Mayflower Wind project is being developed by Mayflower Wind, a joint venture between Shell New Energies and Ocean Winds. Mayflower Wind is developing a federal offshore lease area— located approximately 30 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard and 23 miles south of Nantucket— that has the potential to generate over 1,600 megawatts (MW) of low-cost clean energy, or enough to power over half a million homes.
Ventolines will provide T&I (transport and installation) expertise on the substation, the foundations, the array cables and the wind turbines. “We are pleased to be able to add our expertise on projects of this scale,” said Lorry Wagner, who is representing Ventolines in the U.S.
Previous experience
Ventolines previously oversaw the installation and provided asset management advice for the first US offshore wind farm, Block Island, off the coast of Rhode Island. This 30 MW, 5- turbine project became operational in December 2016. In addition, Ventolines performed the technical selection of the wind turbines for two other US offshore wind projects, in Maryland and New York. The company also provided technical advice for negotiating the wind turbine supply contract.
New office in Boston
Offshore wind will play an increasingly important role in the US. The US Bureau of Ocean Management has awarded 16 offshore wind farm lot contracts from Massachusetts to North Carolina. And according to the Business Network for Offshore Wind, the states on the East Coast are developing 29 gigawatts of offshore wind energy. In addition, the West Coast is considering its own plans.
From a new office in Boston, Ventolines will explore new opportunities in the American energy market. “Our formal entry into the U.S. market is the next logical step in our company’s evolution,” said Thibaut de Groen, Director of Contracting & Construction at Ventolines.
In the Netherlands, Ventolines is now involved in major onshore wind projects in the Netherlands adding more than 1,500 MW of installed power. This includes the country’s largest onshore wind farm Windplan Groen (500 MW). Ventolines also boasts a lead role on all aspects (from early development through to asset management) of the realization of the world’s largest offshore wind farm to be built in a lake, Windpark Fryslân (383 MW), with 89 turbines under construction. In addition, Ventolines is involved in the development of several solar parks, accounting for more than 350 MW, cable pooling solutions and multiple storage projects. Photo credits: Block Island WF © Ventolines
