Jan De Nul completed the installation of two high-voltage high-voltage submarine export cables for the Fengmiao I offshore for the Fengmiao I offshore wind farm, located off the coast of Taichung, Taiwan. The operation leaves ready a key part of the future link between offshore wind generation and the onshore power grid.
The cables, 45 and 44 kilometers long, together exceed eight thousand tons. After laying, they were installed and stored in water until the offshore substation structure is available. This phase allows progress to be made on the project’s electrical infrastructure while work continues on other offshore components.
Submarine link to bring wind energy to shore
In addition, these export cables will be responsible for transporting the electricity produced offshore to the mainland. Their role will be essential for integrating the power generated by Fengmiao I into the Taiwanese power system in a safe and efficient manner.
The Fengmiao I offshore wind farm will have a capacity of 500 MW, enough to power nearly half a million homes. The project is part of the larger Fengmiao development, which envisages a total capacity of 1,800 MW in Taiwanese waters.
The next phase will be seabed burial.
Jan De Nul will now move on to the next stage: burying the cables in the seabed using the PT 1 trencher. This process aims to protect the subsea infrastructure from external risks and ensure the stability of the system during operation of the wind farm.
When the offshore platform is ready, crews will feed the cables into the offshore substation and complete the electrical connection. This will allow the project to move towards integration with Taiwan’s grid and associated onshore infrastructure.
Willem de Vlamingh leads offshore operation
For the transport, installation, excavation and protection of the cables, Jan De Nul uses the cable laying vessel cable-laying vessel Willem de Vlamingh.. This vessel is designed for complex subsea cable works and allows several phases of the project to be carried out from a single offshore platform.
Jan De Nul’s participation also strengthens the role of the supply chain specialized in offshore wind energy. The family-owned company, originally from Belgium and financially headquartered in Luxembourg, is active in Marine Energy, Dredging Solutions, Construction Projects and Planetary Redevelopment.
Fengmiao I advances Taiwan’s energy connection
With this installation, Fengmiao I takes an important step in Taiwan’s offshore wind deployment. The farm is located some 35 kilometers off the coast of Taichung and will contribute to expanding the country’s offshore renewable generation.
While the offshore substation is being completed, the cables already laid are prepared for the final connection phase. Once operational, they will form the electrical route that will carry the offshore wind energy to the offshore wind energy from the turbines to the Taiwanese coast.
Source and photo: Jan De Nul