The €2.8 billion Gemini offshore wind park, located in the Dutch North Sea, has been completed ahead of schedule. Mott MacDonald was lenders’ technical advisor and engineer during the two-year construction period and will now provide operations monitoring services in an ongoing role.
With a capacity of 600MW, Gemini is one of the largest offshore wind parks in the world to be project financed. Comprising 150 Siemens turbines, each with 4MW capacity, it will provide sustainable energy to approximately 785,000 households and help The Netherlands meet its target of 14% renewable energy generation by 2020. It will also cut CO2 emissions annually by 1,250,000 tonnes. The project also features a pair of 220kV export cables that reach 85km to the coast of Groningen.
As lenders’ engineer, Mott MacDonald provided monthly construction monitoring reports to the project’s lenders, advising on progress and mitigating risks associated with health and safety, design, manufacturing and the environment. The consultancy previously delivered due diligence on the project, helping to achieve a successful financial close.
Christos Kolliatsas, Mott MacDonald’s project director, said: “We worked closely with the Gemini team, sponsors and lenders to reach this major milestone ahead of schedule and under budget. Our international experience in offshore wind construction allowed us to highlight risks that could potentially affect the project’s progress and offer advice on methods for mitigating these.”
Matthias Haag, Project Gemini’s chief executive officer, added: “Working with Mott MacDonald continuously for the last three years has been a big benefit for the Gemini project. Their experience and advice helped us to avoid any pitfalls and make the project a success.”