News

£15 million investment in riverfront windfarm

For Immediate Release - 12 November, 2008

View larger imageNew wind turbines arriving at the Port of Liverpool's riverside wind farm

The latest additions to the Port of Liverpool's riverside wind farm are under construction after arriving on the Mersey in knock-down form from the Rostock, Germany production plant of manufacturers Nordex.

Ordered by Peel Energy, the four units for the £15 million project were unloaded from the vessel Conro Trader at Alexandra Dock, using two specialist mobile cranes.

Work on erecting the first of the new generation turbines was started on site almost immediately. Calm weather permitting, all four structures are expected to be in place within four weeks and generating electricity for the national grid by early next year.

They will each be able to produce up to 2.5 megawatts of low carbon electricity, nearly five times the power generated by each of the first six turbines erected on Royal Seaforth Dock wall at the mouth of the River Mersey, and sufficient energy to meet the average annual electricity needs of 5,500 homes.

The 350 tonnes of components including the 80 metre high towers and the 45 metre long blades, are being assembled on foundations established by Kier Construction on the Port of Liverpool's river wall from Alexandra Dock to Huskisson Dock. A specialist team flown in from Germany by Nordex, is undertaking the construction work.

Said Richard Dibley, Peel Energy's Development Manager: "Construction of the first turbines in the latest phase of development of the Port of Liverpool wind farm, marks another significant chapter for Peel Energy. Our significant portfolio of low carbon schemes ranging from the river wall development at Liverpool to the Scout Moor wind farm in Lancashire, underline our ambition and determination to be at the forefront of delivering low carbon energy for the UK."

View larger imageNew wind turbines arriving at the Port of Liverpool's riverside wind farm

Nordex are employing two cranes of 500 tonnes and 250 tonnes capacity to lift the sections of the turbines into position.

Matthias M Breu, Project Manager for Manchester based Nordex UK Ltd, said: "Construction of this dockside wind farm is logistically challenging. Not only is progress dependent upon calm weather conditions, but we have to undertake the work in a busy port environment where cargo ships and even cruise ships are coming and going. Erecting the structures is only the initial phase of a heavy programme of work before the turbines can be commissioned."

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