Siemens Gamesa wins firm turbine order for Ocean Winds’ Moray West offshore wind farm

Turbine manufacturer Siemens Gamesa has won a firm order to supply 60  of its SG 14-222 DD offshore wind turbines for Ocean Winds’ Moray West offshore wind farm off the coast of north-east Scotland. 

It had previously been named preferred bidder to supply turbines for the wind farm in October 2021.

The turbines will have individual power ratings of 14.7MW of power each. 

Siemens Gamesa will produce 180 of its 108-metre long blades at its factory in Hull in north-east England to help fulfil the order.

The deal also includes a service agreement. Installation is scheduled for 2024 with first power due to follow the same year.

The wind farm is due to mark the first serial installation for the SG 14-222 DD turbine, according to Siemens Gamesa. The European turbine maker added that it has 14GW of “firm orders, preferred supplier agreements, and preferred bidder agreements” for the model. 

A Siemens Gamesa spokesman added that fully firm orders are 1.4GW for RWE’s Sofia wind farm project on Dogger Bank, off England’s east coast, and 882MW for Moray West.

“Successfully signing the firm order for Moray West serves to further cement Siemens Gamesa as the leader of the offshore revolution. We were heartened to be named preferred bidder by Moray West in October 2021 and are now even happier to see their confidence in us become reality today,” says Siemens Gamesa Offshore Business Unit CEO Marc Becker.

Moray West, which lies 22km offshore, is owned by Ocean Winds — a joint venture of Portugal’s EDP Renewables and French utility Engie — with a minor shareholding held by Ignitis Group.

Ocean Winds secured an offtake agreement in the UK’s contract for difference auction in 2019. 

Ocean Winds is also the majority shareholder in the 100-turbine 950MW Moray East wind farm, which began commercial operations in April 2022.

The JV awarded a contract earlier this month to Chinese fabricator Dajin Heavy Industries to supply 48 monopiles for Moray West.