Mermaid installed capacity could reach 490MW
The final offshore wind concession awarded by the Belgian government could have an installed capacity of up to 490MW, rather than the 462MW previously announced, Windpower Offshore has learned.
Turbines with a rated capacity of up to 10MW are being considered by the developers of the Mermaid offshore wind farm. Three turbine sizes are being considered, for a total installed capacity of 449MW to 490MW:
- 73 x 6MW for 449MW
- 66 x 7MW for 462MW
- 49 x 10MW for 490MW.
The project will also feature 20MW of wave power capacity.
China’s turbine manufacturers are prioritising development of 10MW designs aimed at the offshore wind market, with Sinovel having recently been awarded a grant to accelerate progress on its 10MW concept.
The permitting process for the Mermaid project will “start soon”, according to a spokesperson at DEME, one of the project developers. With an average distance from shore of 50km, the site’s water depths are greater than previously reported, ranging from 22.5m to 42m.
