Box platform

Northwester 2 construction works at sea kicked off

published on 19/07/2019

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Construction works for the seventh offshore wind farm off the Belgian coast have started. Developer Parkwind and marine contractor Jan De Nul Group announce that offshore seabed preparation works have commenced for the 219 MW offshore wind farm Northwester 2.

The Northwester 2 wind farm will count 23 V164-9.5MW MHI Vestas Offshore Wind turbines and will be the first project to ever install this model . The turbines on monopile foundations will link through an offshore high voltage station to Elia’s Offshore Switch Yard (OSY) to export its electricity. As of 2020, the Northwester 2 wind farm will power approximately 220,000 households in Belgium.

Unique box platform

The Northwester 2 project will introduce a new design for the external access platforms on the foundations: the box platform. The platform (pictured above) has an innovative design developed and patented by Parkwind that consists only of steel plate material.

Peter Caluwaerts, Project Director Northwester 2 at Parkwind states: “At Parkwind, we continuously look for optimisations and cost-effective solutions while developing offshore wind farms. The box platform is a show case of this attitude. Indeed, this innovative design reduces the overall cost of the foundation fabrication by introducing ship building techniques in the fabrication process. Moreover, the box platform simplifies and reduces offshore maintenance activities over the lifetime of the windfarm. It is great to see the initial ideas now coming to life at the start of the offshore construction works.”

Seabed levelling

Jan De Nul Group has just finished the offshore scour protection works on the different wind turbine locations. At each location, Jan De Nul Group’s subsea rock installation vessel Simon Stevin has installed a 32 m diameter wide and 700 mm thick rock layer to stabilise the seabed around the foundation. Jan De Nul Group is now gearing up to install the first foundation in the coming days. The monopile foundations for the wind turbines will be hammered directly through the rock layer into the seabed.

Stan Logghe, Senior Project Manager Northwester 2 at Jan De Nul Group, confirms: “A full year of preparation is now coming to an end with the start of the construction phase. With the installation vessel Vole au vent returned to Ostend, Jan De Nul is now ready to commence the installation of the foundations for the Northwester 2 wind farm.”

Most advanced monopile gripper

Jan De Nul Group equipped its Vole au vent with the most advanced monopile gripper to date, delivered by Huisman. The monopile gripper has a modular, tailor-made design and is unique in its capacity and versatility. The gripper allows use on a wide range of projects already under construction, but also in the future for which the specifications are yet to be determined. Jan De Nul Group will deploy this most advanced gripper for the first time on the Northwester 2 project.


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About Northwester 2

Northwester 2 is a project company holding a 219MW concession in de Belgian territorial waters. Current shareholders are Parkwind (70%) and the Japanese industrial group Sumitomo Corporation (30%). Parkwind, has been in charge of the development and is managing construction and operational activities. The company is headquartered in Leuven (Belgium) and will operate from the Ostend harbor.

About Jan De Nul Group

Design. Build. Connect. Jan De Nul Group shapes water and land. Worldwide. From complex offshore services for the energy sector, over large dredging and reclamation projects on the edge of water and land, to all possible civil constructions on land. Well integrated competences and investments lead to creative, sustainable and innovative solutions. In this way Jan De Nul Group meets the customers’ current and future wishes. To the future. – www.jandenul.com

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Maarten van der Horst

Project Director Oriel

Maarten joined Parkwind and more specifically the Oriel project team in early 2021. He brings 17 years of experience in the energy industry having worked at Engie's renewables arm first as an engineer, later as offshore specialist.

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Wim Verrept

Risk, QHSSE, IT & Process Manager

He joined Parkwind in 2016 as risk manager, during the installation phase of Nobelwind. Since then his responsibilities have expanded to include IT and the QHSSE department. Before joining the company, he worked as a risk manager at large financial institution in Belgium.
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Ingrid Dony

HR Manager

Ingrid joined Parkwind in 2013 and manages the Human Resources department. Her expertise in corporate HR has created the foundations in Parkwind’s evolving and rapidly growing employee and consultant base. Her team manages everything from payroll to employee development and communications. She has been instrumental in preparing the organization for international expansion and the digitalization of numerous HR legal and administrative tools.

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Dirk Dewettinck

Head of R&D

At Parkwind since 2015 he manages the engineering resources involved in project development, design and construction. He was closely involved in the technical management of the Nobelwind and Northwester 2 projects. Prior to joining Parkwind, he was involved in other offshore wind projects, working for a major wind turbine supplier, and prior to that he worked for more than 15 years with major engineering contractors in projects around the world, mainly in the conventional power generation construction and services (steam, gas, nuclear).
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Clément Helbig de Balzac

Project Manager of Arcadis

Joining Parkwind in 2011 as a project finance specialist and he was heavily involved in the financing and construction of Northwind and Nobelwind. Thereafter, as project finance manager, he led the financing process of Northwester 2 and the refinancing of three operational offshore wind farms of the Parkwind portfolio. He is also involved in business development projects for his expertise lies in financing processes, construction contract negotiation, contracting strategy and development and construction management.
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Edward Van Melkebeek

Head of Technology

Since joining Parkwind in 2018, he has been leading the Technology team responsible for leveraging Parkwind’s know-how in civil, electrical and WTG packages to development of new projects. The team also performs a supply chain role, managing technical aspects of project contracts. Previously, he has built extensive practical and managerial experience in the offshore construction business for over 22 years at a global leading dredging and offshore contractor strongly active in the offshore wind industry.
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Mathias Van Steenwinkel

Business Development Manager

He joined Parkwind in 2012 working on financial modelling, PPA negotiations and the overall financial close processes. Since 2016, he is heading the growing business development department playing a key role in the identification of new projects, global partnerships and tender preparations.
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Kristof Verlinden

O&M Manager

With Parkwind since 2010, he is responsible for the asset management and production management of all of Parkwind’s offshore operational assets. The O&M organization plays a pivotal role in project development incorporating strategic insight to ensure frictionless O&M operations from the moment of first production. The team also supplies external support services, is involved in numerous R&D initiatives with universities and wind farm performance analysis using state of the art data systems. Kristof joined Parkwind with an engineering background in international service support business and wind turbine driveline design validation.
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Pieter Marinus

General Counsel and Investment Relations Director

As a former Parkwind board member, he has been involved in the financial close and follow-up of every Parkwind project as well as in their acquisition and divestment processes. Prior to joining Parkwind’s management in 2017, he was also in charge of multiple other renewable energy investments and financings around Europe, notably as Investment Director at Korys, Parkwind’s controlling shareholder.
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Peter Caluwaerts

Project Director

After years of building extensive experience in large construction works, he started his career in offshore wind in 2010 by taking up the role of CLO of Parkwind, responsible for regulatory, legal and contracting matters for Belwind and Northwind windfarms. Since then, as Project Director, he’s led the Northwester 2 project completed in 2020 and is now responsible for Parkwind’s Irish projects Oriel and Clogherhead. He plays an instrumental role in organizing Parkwind’s international expansion and growth.
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Eric Antoons

co-CEO

Before joining the company in 2013, he worked for one of the largest power and gas suppliers in Belgium, in both operational and executive functions. Joining Parkwind in 2013 as COO, he supervised the construction of three wind farm projects and the considerable growth of O&M activities. Since becoming co-CEO in 2016, he has also developed Parkwind’s R&D activities to the forefront partnering with universities and several technology start-ups.
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Francois Van Leeuw

co-CEO

He joined the nascent Parkwind as a CFO in 2009 and has been leading the financing and development of the four Belgian wind farms Belwind, Northwind, Nobelwind and Northwester 2. In his role he’s particularly involved in new business and partnership development for Parkwind globally. He is also serving as the chairman of the Belgian Offshore Platform, the non-profit association of investors and owners of Belgian wind farms.