Chinese monopile maker wins big in Europe

Claiming to be the first company in the Asia-Pacific region to supply XXL monopiles to the European market, Dajin says the deals ‘solidify the company’s position as a world-class offshore wind equipment manufacturer’.

Last week the Beijing-headquartered firm signed an agreement with Inch Cape Offshore for 72 massive XXL monopile foundations, which will be installed in the North Sea 15km off the Scottish coast.

Inch Cape is an equal joint venture between Edinburgh-based renewable energy company Red Rock Power and Ireland’s leading energy company, ESB.

With a diameter of 11.5 metres, a length of 110m and a weight of 2,700 tonnes, these towers will take some fabrication, which is due to begin later this year for delivery in late 2025.

The wind farm should generate 1.1GW of power, and as Maritime Journal has reported, work on an onshore substation to deal with the electricity generated has already begun.

In November, Dajin agreed another project in Scotland, the Moray West wind farm in the Outer Moray Firth.

The farm, which is owned by EDP and Energie, will consist of 60 turbines generating 882MW and should be operational early next year.

Finally, Dajin has been contracted to supply the monopiles for 62 turbines off the west coast of France.

The turbines each have a power generating capacity of 8MW, so the Éoliennes en Mer Îles d’Yeu et de Noirmoutier has a total capacity of 496MW.

Ocean Winds, Sumitomo Corporation, Banque des Territoires and Vendée Energie are all shareholders of the company “Eoliennes en Mer des îles d’Yeu et de Noirmoutier”, and the project is expected to begin early next year.