The innovative DolWin epsilon platform, part of European operator TenneT’s DolWin5 connection system, will play a key role in transporting wind energy from the North Sea to the mainland. This pioneering installation, currently berthed at the Aibel shipyard in Haugesund, will become the technological heart of a grid that will distribute approximately 900 megawatts (MW) of clean electricity to more than one million households in Germany.
Critical lighting for an extreme environment
Norway’s Glamox AS has been selected to provide DolWin epsilon with an intelligent and resilient lighting system. The company delivered a total of 2,084 marine-grade luminaires, integrated to the platform’s SCADA system, to enable remote monitoring and automated testing of the emergency lighting. This equipment is essential, as DolWin epsilon will operate in unmanned mode most of the time.
“The reliability of each luminaire can make the difference between safety and risk,” explains Eirik Hagem, Business Development Manager of Glamox’s Offshore Wind division. “The conditions in the North Sea are demanding and any technical intervention involves high costs and risks. That is why the durability and certification of our products is critical.”
Sustainable technology on the DolWin epsilon platform
The lighting package supplied covers both the interior areas of the upper substation as well as the accommodation provided for occasional personnel, which includes a helipad, crane and lifeboat. Among the products installed are explosion-proof linear luminaires (MAX ex zone 1), MIR rugged luminaires, FL60 and FL70 floodlights, E85-S evacuation lights and E20 exit signage.
Once commissioned at the end of this year, the platform will convert the three-phase alternating current generated by the wind turbines into direct current. This will be transported via an underwater submarine cable 100-kilometer underwater cable to Hamswehrum, and from there via a 30-kilometer onshore cable to the converter station in Emden. There, the energy will be converted into alternating current and fed into the high-voltage power grid.
Energy efficiency with economic impact
DolWin5 represents a more direct and cost-effective model of interconnection. Instead of using substations at wind farmsthe electricity travels directly to the DolWin epsilon DolWin epsilon platform platform via three-phase 66 kilovolt (kV) cables. This configuration significantly reduces the required infrastructure and, according to TenneT, enables large-scale cost savings.
The integration of technological solutions such as Glamox remote lighting reinforces the project’s commitment to sustainability and efficiency. Overall, DolWin5 is positioned as a key pillar in the move towards a cleaner and more robust European energy grid.
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Source and photo: Glamox AS
