Jan De Nul Begins Installation of Monopile Foundations for RWE’s Thor Offshore Wind Farm
Jan De Nul has officially started the installation campaign for the monopile foundations of RWE’s Thor offshore wind farm. The company has successfully completed the installation of the first of 72 monopiles using its heavy-lift vessel Les Alizés.
Once completed, the Thor offshore wind farm will become Denmark’s largest wind farm, capable of providing renewable energy to power more than a million Danish households. The 72 wind turbines will be located near the west coast of Jutland, approximately 22 kilometers offshore, making up RWE’s Thor wind farm with a capacity exceeding 1 GW.
The monopile foundations vary in length, reaching up to 100 meters and weighing as much as 1,500 tonnes. Les Alizés transports the foundations from Eemshaven in the Netherlands to the installation site off the western coast of Jutland, near Thorsminde. The final monopile installation is scheduled for completion by the end of 2025.
In addition to the monopile foundation and scour protection installation, Jan De Nul will also be responsible for installing the inter-array cable system and the export cables that will connect the offshore and onshore substations.
Günther Fenle, Project Director for Thor at RWE, expressed his gratitude for the successful installation of the first monopile, highlighting the collaborative efforts of all parties involved. He commended the dedication of colleagues and suppliers in achieving this significant milestone.
Philippe Hutse, CEO Offshore Energy at Jan De Nul, emphasized the importance of RWE’s Thor offshore wind farm project for the company in 2025. He noted that Jan De Nul is playing a crucial role in advancing the energy transition by executing various tasks, including installing inter-array and export cables, scour protection, and monopile foundations. The company is utilizing multiple vessels from its fleet to carry out these diverse scopes of work.
Overall, the installation of monopile foundations for RWE’s Thor offshore wind farm marks a significant step towards achieving Denmark’s renewable energy goals and contributes to the ongoing global transition to sustainable energy sources.