Thorntonbank Wind Farm | |
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![]() Wind turbines D4 (nearest) to D1 on the Thornton Bank | |
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Country |
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Location | 28 km north off the Belgian coast |
Coordinates | 51°33′06″N2°58′01″E / 51.5516°N 2.9669°E |
Status | Operational |
Construction began |
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Commission date |
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Construction cost | € 1.3 billion |
Wind farm | |
Type | |
Max. water depth |
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Distance from shore |
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Rotor diameter |
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Site area |
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Power generation | |
Units operational | 6 × 5 MW 48 × 6.15 MW |
Make and model | Senvion 6.2M126 (48) Senvion REpower 5M (6) |
Nameplate capacity |
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External links | |
Website | c-power |
Commons | Related media on Commons |
The Thorntonbank Wind Farm (also known as C-Power) is an offshore wind farm. It is the first offshore wind farm in Belgium.
Electricity production started in early 2009, with a capacity of 30 MW. The capacity was increased to a total of 214 MW in 2012 and 325 MW in 2013. [1]
The first phase was built by C-Power, at a cost of €153 million. [2] It was commissioned in June 2009. [3] [4]
The first phase of what will ultimately be a 325 MW wind farm was completed in September 2008. The six REpower 5 MW turbines, which were installed on concrete gravity foundations, were linked to the Belgian power grid, giving a total rated capacity of 30 MW for the first stage. [5] The full story of the design, engineering, construction and installation of the Thorntonbank Wind Farm (first phase) is told in an illustrated book that was published in November 2010. [6] [7]
In these phases, a total of 48 additional wind turbines of 6.15MWp were installed. [8]
Phase 2, completed in October 2012, comprises the installation of 30 of the 48 wind turbines. [1] These wind turbines have been installed on steel jacket foundations designed by OWEC Tower AS and assembled at the Smulders shipyard in Hoboken, Antwerp. [9]
In the third and last phase, completed in September 2013, the remaining 18 wind turbines were installed, bringing the total capacity to around 325 MW. [1] [10]
Research was by the Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO [11] ) and the Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO [12] )
Thorntonbank was only the second offshore wind farm to be project financed. [13]