Siemens Gamesa's 14-MW offshore wind turbines to power 2.6-GW Dominion Energy project

Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE, Zamudio, Spain) announced on May 26 that it plans to conditionally supply SG 14-222 Direct Drive offshore wind turbines to the 2,640-megawatt Dominion Energy Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) commercial project. The exact quantity of turbines to be deployed is still subject to final project site conditions, the company reports. All turbine installations are expected to be completed by 2026, though SGRE says the agreement is subject to certain conditions including Dominion Energy’s final investment decision, governmental permitting and other required approvals.

The SG 14-222 DD, Siemens Gamesa’s latest offshore turbine variant announced earlier this month, can produce up to 15 megawatts of energy with a 222-meter rotor. According to the company, Siemens Gamesa was named as the preferred turbine supplier for the CVOW commercial project in January 2020.

Once online, the CVOW project is expected to provide enough clean energy to power 650,000 homes at rated wind speed, replacing 3.7 million tons per year of carbon emissions from fossil fuel-based power generation. SGRE says the project will help the Commonwealth of Virginia meet its clean energy goals established by the Virginia Clean Economy Act, which sets Virginia on the path to 100% clean energy by 2045. Siemens Gamesa says that it continues to work with local stakeholders to investigate a potential blade manufacturing facility for these turbines on the U.S. East Coast, potentially the first facility custom-built to manufacture components for the SG 14-222. Decisions on sourcing and supply chain to serve the U.S. market are expected to be made within the next year.

“Dominion Energy’s selection of the SG 14-222 DD offshore wind turbine ... is an important next step for the project, the U.S. offshore wind industry and the global offshore wind industry,” says Andreas Nauen, CEO of the Siemens Gamesa Offshore Business Unit.

“It’s only fitting that the U.S.’s largest offshore wind project will feature the largest installation announced to date of Siemens Gamesa’s largest offshore wind turbine. We are proud to partner with Dominion Energy on such a significant project,” says Steve Dayney, Head of Offshore North America at Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy. “The offshore industry is emerging in the U.S. and with this agreement and this new product, we are positioned to significantly advance the growth of the industry and provide clean energy for many generations to come.”

The turbine’s 222-meter diameter rotor uses new Siemens Gamesa B108 blades. Nearly 50 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty, each 108-meter long IntegralBlade is cast in one piece using patented Siemens Gamesa blade technologies. At 39,000 square meters, the turbine allows the SG 14-222 DD to provide an increase of more than 25% in Annual Energy Production compared to the SG 11.0-200 DD offshore wind turbine, rated at 11 megawatts with a 200-meter rotor. Furthermore, the new offshore turbine features a comparatively low nacelle weight at 500 metric tons. This enables Siemens Gamesa to safely use an optimized tower and foundation substructure compared to a heavier nacelle, reducing costs per turbine by minimizing sourced materials and transportation expenses.

Dominion Energy’s commercial offshore wind project expands on knowledge gained though a two-turbine, 12-megawatt CVOW pilot project that will be installed within a research lease area adjacent to site of the 2,640-megawatt commercial project. SGRE says this is the first offshore wind project to be built in U.S. federal waters and will use Siemens Gamesa’s 6-megawatts SWT-6.0-154 wind turbines. The pilot project is set to be online later this year.