Danish farm, aged 25 years, receives authorization for another 25-year span of operation.
Headline: Danish Offshore Wind Farms Middelgrunden, Nysted, and Samsø Get Lifetime Extensions from DEA
Subheadline: Denmark's energy agency approved the extensions, demonstrating their commitment to harnessing the full potential of the country's pioneering offshore wind assets.
In a move to further solidify its position as a global leader in renewable energy, the Danish Energy Agency (DEA) has recently extended the production permits for three of Denmark's oldest offshore wind farms — Middelgrunden, Nysted, and Samsø.
Following the approval of a permit extension for the Samsø wind farm earlier this month, Middelgrunden and Nysted have now joined the ranks. To ensure these extensions were prudent, the DEA requested applicants provide an impartial analysis of their remaining operational lifetimes.
Since obtaining the extensions, the owners of these wind farms are now obligated to conduct comprehensive annual service inspections.
Middelgrunden: Originally commissioned in 2000 and received its electricity production permit the same year, Middelgrunden is now permitted to operate for 25 more years.[1][3] The 40-MW farm comprises 20 Siemens Gamesa B76/2000 wind turbines, each with a 2-MW nameplate capacity. Co-owned 50/50 by the Middelgrunden Wind Turbine Cooperative and HOFOR, the farm serves around 20,000 households.[2][3]
Nysted: Commissioned in 2003, Nysted has now obtained approval for a ten-year extension. Owned by Ørsted, PensionDanmark, and Stadtwerke Lübeck, the 161-MW farm currently consists of 70 Siemens Gamesa SWT-2.3-82 wind turbines, providing energy to approximately 130,000 households.[1][3]
Slight hiccups marked Nysted's history when, in 2022, one of the turbines at the site (turbine A02) fell due to a cracked and collapsed foundation. The DEA later approved the decommissioning of the damaged turbine in May 2022, and the turbine and a large part of the gravity foundation were removed during the summer of that year.[1]
It is worth noting that the DEA received applications for lifetime extensions for five of the country's oldest offshore wind farms.[4] In addition to Middelgrunden, Nysted, and Samsø, applications for extensions have also been submitted for the 160-MW Horns Rev 1 (commissioned in 2002) and the 8-MW Rønland (commissioned in 2003).
In the spirit of responsible and sustainable energy harnessing, these extensions come after independent technical assessments of the turbines' remaining lifetimes and require stringent annual maintenance to ensure safe operation.[1] Denmark's Samsø wind farm's 10-year extension to 2037 marks the first such extension approval in Denmark, highlighting the country's commitment to maximizing the use of legacy offshore assets.[2]
References:
[1] "Danish Wind Farm Nysted Approved For Ten-Year Extension – update." Wind Farm Update, 2023.[2] "Samsø Wind Farm to Operate Longer as Denmark Issues First Extension Permit." Planning & Permitting, 2023.[3] "Middelgrunden." Danske Vindmøller (Danish Wind turbines), 2023.[4] "Five 20-Year-Old Danish Wind Farms Seeking Lifetime Extension." Authorities, 2023.
- The finance industry is poised to benefit significantly from Denmark's commitment to renewable energy, as the Danish Energy Agency (DEA) extends the production permits for several offshore wind farms in the market.
- The extended operation of the Middelgrounden, Nysted, and Samsø wind farms, along with the expected extensions of the Horns Rev 1 and Rønland, demonstrates the Danish market's focus on maximizing the lifetime of its pioneering offshore and renewable energy assets.
- As a result of the DEA's decisions, the owners of these wind farms are now obligated to invest in comprehensive annual service inspections, ensuring the continued production of clean energy for numerous households in the country while maintaining safety standards in the finance and energy industries.
