It’s time to celebrate! The flat oysters introduced to the Borssele III/IV wind farm in 2020 have reproduced. This was revealed when the oyster tables — artificial oyster reefs — were lifted out of the water to be studied for the first time in two years. And this isn’t the only positive finding.
Are wind farms suitable habitats for harbour porpoises? Since 2021, researchers have been trying to answer this question at the Borssele offshore wind farm, partly built and operated by Blauwwind. The initial results are now available and look promising. Harbour porpoises are regularly spotted in this part of the Dutch North Sea.
New research highlights the promising role that wind farms can play in enhancing North Sea biodiversity. A nature enhancement project in the Blauwwind wind farm (Borssele III & IV) reveals that flat oysters are successfully reproducing amidst offshore wind turbines.
A large proportion of the oysters that were deposited at the foot of wind turbines off the coast of Zeeland more than three years ago, are still alive and have provided offspring.
In 2023 Blauwwind welcomed Glennmont Partners (Nuveen) as a new Blauwwind Shareholder, bringing valuable investment expertise in renewable energy generation projects.
A team of researchers went twice to offshore wind farm Borssele III & IV for monitoring of 2,400 released flat oysters. The oyster tables were placed on the base of some wind turbines in October 2020.
The Borssele III and IV wind farms were designed to enhance biodiversity in the North Sea. An eight-year nature improvement project is currently taking place to monitor biodiversity at these sites in collaboration with the Rich North Sea programme. A monitoring pilot began in October 2020.
On 18th of February the handover from Construction to Operations was celebrated in the form of an online live event.
Two special cast iron cannons approximately four centuries old ( the oldest of the pair was dated around 1590 AD) were discovered during site surveys that check for potential obstacles and Unexploded Ordnance (UXOs).
26 November 2020 - The last of 77 MHI Vestas V164-9.5 MW turbines has been installed for Borssele III & IV by Van Oord’s offshore installation vessel Aeolus
In the Borssele III & IV wind farm in Zeeland, 2400 flat oysters were placed around the foundations of wind turbines.
Bas van den Kieboom is Quality engineer at Blauwwind. During a stroll through the harbour of Scheveningen he explains the process of installing the turbines off shore.
On 7th of August early in the morning, Blauwwind achieved First Power on the Borssele III/IV windfarm in the Dutch North Sea.
Blauwwind has been working hard, in close collaboration with its contractors, to create a safe working environment that protects all personnel
25 May 2020 - Installation of the MVOW V164 9.5 Megawatts (MW) wind turbine generators has commenced!
22 April 2020 - Van Oord’s offshore installation vessel Aeolus has successfully completed the installation of 77 monopiles for Borssele III & IV.
10 April 2020 - At Blauwwind, we want to ensure that we limit the potential environmental impact of our construction works as much as possible.
28 June 2018 - The Blauwwind consortium today announced financial close on the Borssele III & IV offshore wind farm in the Dutch North Sea.
12 June 2016 - The second Borssele offshore wind farm in the Dutch North Sea is expected to be constructed and operated with a subsidy of just 0.3 billion euros.
