Our experience

Our ambition is to transform today’s quarry at Jelsa into a large scale, low carbon footprint site for building and assembling floating wind turbines. A significant contribution to the development of the Norwegian offshore wind industry. We aim to support the growing floating offshore wind industry by lowering emissions and costs from the building of wind turbine generators, and basing it on 60 years of expertise from the Norwegian offshore industry.

The project covers 24 km² in the Irish Sea, 22 km off the coast of Dundalk, Ireland. Its turbines will add up to 375 megawatts in capacity to power approximately 300,000 households – significantly contributing to Ireland’s renewable energy target. Oriel Windfarm is being jointly developed by Parkwind and ESB, Ireland’s leading electricity utility majority owned by the Irish Government. Development of the project began in 2003, and Parkwind entered the project in 2017. The partnership with ESB was created in 2019.

The project secured Parkwind’s leading role in wind energy in the Belgian North Sea and included new advances in data collection and Parkwind’s first research and development ventures. The project also marks Parkwind’s first collaboration with Japanese shareholders Sumitomo, who remain a key partner in new development projects as well.

Fifty-six turbines spread over 17 km² generate enough green energy to power the equivalent of 160,000 homes. Belwind was one of the world’s largest wind farms at the time. It set the momentum of offshore development in the region and its scale showcased the technology as one of the best routes towards a carbon free future. Used as a testing ground for several R&D projects – including testing of the largest wind turbine at the time – helped Parkwind and the industry make important steps in advancing offshore wind technologies.

A technical triumph, the project featured the longest and largest export cable at the time, transporting energy produced from multiple wind farms (Northwind and Nobelwind) to the shore. The Northwind concession was initially planned to be the first visionary project from Parkwind’s founders. However, the vision was accelerated through an opportunity to develop Belwind first. The two projects, set the momentum for Belgium’s offshore wind success story.

Northwester 2 harnesses the latest advances in turbine and foundations technology. It is fitted with the largest commercially available wind turbine of the moment, the Vestas 9.5 MW- V164, as well as Parkwind’s patented “box platform” transition piece which is engineered to withstand over 25 years of offshore environment with minimal maintenance. It is one of the world’s most advanced offshore wind farms. The project is to first to be connected to Elia’s offshore switchyard that consolidates electricity produced by wind farms in the Belgian North Sea. Its timely completion during severe weather storms in winter of 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic is a triumph we’re very proud of.

Scheduled for completion in 2023, Arcadis Ost I is one of Parkwind’s first international projects in close collaboration with German authorities, who have in a short span of 10 years enabled offshore wind to be the fastest growing renewable power source in the country. With water depths up to 45 m and challenging soil conditions, Parkwind will be using a floating turbine installation method. This is one of the most significant innovations in offshore wind energy, and opens new offshore development opportunities throughout the world.