1.6 GW Nordlicht Offshore Cluster on track: Vattenfall Simulates Complex Offshore Installation on Land

Berlin (Germany) - Installing offshore wind turbines is technically demanding and logistically complex. Companies such as Vattenfall are therefore increasingly relying on extensive onshore testing and simulations to reduce risks at sea. The goal is to optimise procedures, secure interfaces, and increase safety and efficiency during the offshore construction phase.

Vattenfall is preparing the construction of the Nordlicht offshore wind cluster in the North Sea with extensive tests in Denmark. At the Aalborg site, key installation and work processes for later offshore implementation are being simulated. The focus is on a so-called transition piece mock-up, where assembly and safety procedures are tested under realistic conditions.

Preparation for the North Sea: mock-up simulates offshore installation under real conditions

Vattenfall has reached an important milestone in the preparation of the Nordlicht I offshore wind farm. In Aalborg (Denmark), key work steps for later offshore installation are currently being tested at supplier CS Wind Offshore.

The focus is a transition piece mock-up. It is used to realistically simulate the workflows for installing components that are around 23.7 metres high and weigh approximately 362 tonnes. The transition piece connects the tower of a wind turbine to its foundation on the seabed.

Among other things, installation, bolting, cable pulling and routing, as well as safety and rescue scenarios are being tested. These comprehensive onshore tests are intended to identify risks early, align processes, and prepare the offshore construction phase safely and efficiently.

“Such intensive onshore preparation shows how important close cooperation between our teams and partners is. By testing interfaces, processes and safety aspects early on, we create the foundation for a safe and efficient implementation of Nordlicht offshore,” says Manuel Fischer, EPC Director Nordlicht at Vattenfall.

Major North Sea construction site: foundation works and project scale

In parallel with onshore preparations, initial offshore work has already begun in the German North Sea. As part of so-called scour protection, rock dumping is being carried out to protect the seabed at future foundation locations from erosion.

The actual offshore construction of Nordlicht I is currently scheduled to begin with foundation works in July 2026, with Nordlicht II following about one year later. The monopiles will be supplied by manufacturer EEW. They reach lengths of up to 80.5 metres and weights of up to 1,290 tonnes. For Nordlicht I, a total of 68 monopiles and the same number of transition pieces are planned.

With a capacity of 1,610 MW (1.61 GW), the offshore wind cluster is one of the largest offshore wind projects in Europe. The Nordlicht cluster consists of the offshore wind farms Nordlicht I (approx. 980 MW) and Nordlicht II (approx. 630 MW), with a total of 112 wind turbines. The 15 MW flagship turbine from Vestas (type V236-15 MW) will be used. The wind farms will be built 85 km north of the island of Borkum in the German North Sea.

Commissioning of the two wind farms is planned for 2028. Once fully operational, they are expected to generate around 6 terawatt-hours of electricity annually. The project is being implemented without government subsidies.

An additional sustainability focus is on material selection: low-emission steel is partially used for the turbine towers, which is expected to reduce the project’s overall CO₂ footprint by around 16 percent.

Source: IWR Online, Apr 04 2026