Aerotrope's team recently visited the 400 MW Rampion Windfarm being built 13 km off the coast of Sussex. For this we chartered a catamaran operated by Ross Boat Trips from Brighton Marina, who took us within 50 m of the completed turbines.
Turbine installation began in March 2017. At the time of visit about half of the 116 turbines were in place. Each turbine (model: MHI Vestas V112) is 140 metres (459.3 ft) high to the tip of the blade and is rated at 3.45 MW.
The jack-up vessel MPI Adventure is installing the remaining turbines throughout the summer until completion late in the year. It was impressive to see the huge jack-up barge at close range. Its crane is so powerful that it can pick up each 80m-tall turbine tower like a giant matchstick and put it in place in one piece.
144 kilometres of array cables will transmit the power generated by the wind turbines. When complete, Rampion will produce enough electricity to supply almost 347,000 homes a year, i.e. around half the homes in Sussex.
A trip to Rampion Windfarm is well worth the time to see wind power in action: This awesome technology that our engineers spend their time researching, designing and optimising. We travelled on a beautifully sunny and calm day. It was great to take time away from the office and spend it in the company of good friends, new colleagues and those who are leaving us for new shores. With the Sussex coastline a ribbon on the horizon, surrounded by foaming waves and sunshine, it was a time to appreciate each other as well as all we have achieved and still want to achieve together.
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