Siemens unveils first 354-ft turbine blade for 1.4GW offshore wind farm

RWE, a Germany-based energy firm has unveiled the first turbine blade for the 1.4GW Sofia offshore wind project.

Being made at Siemens Gamesa factory in Hull, the unveiling of the state-of-the-art turbine blades marks a major milestone in the construction of the flagship project.

After being operational, Sofia Offshore Wind Farm would generate clean, renewable electricity to power equivalent of 1.2 million typical UK homes every year.

The 354 feet long blades are attached to each of the 100 x 14 megawatts (MW) offshore wind turbines which will operate at the heart of RWE’s Sofia Offshore Wind project.

Impressive turbine blades ready to be installed

“To see these impressive turbine blades being produced, ready to be installed at our flagship Sofia offshore wind farm, is a fantastic demonstration of the true value that offshore wind brings to coastal communities, such as Hull. The potential for job creation within the renewable supply chain is huge,” said Tom Glover, RWE UK country chair.

“Not just with companies like Siemens Gamesa, which is manufacturing the blades for Sofia at their blade factory here in the UK – but right across the supply chain.”

Glover stated that Sofia is a significant development for RWE in the UK, and we are delighted to be able to see that investment being maximised in support of important local, coastal communities.

Siemens Gamesa’s Hull blade factory is the largest facility in UK

RWE claims that Siemens Gamesa’s Hull blade factory is the largest manufacturing facility of its kind in the UK, having expanded to keep pace with the rapid growth of the offshore wind sector.

Building on strong collaboration with RWE and other offshore wind developers, it’s claimed to be a catalyst for further economic growth in the Humber region.

More than 50% of the investment in RWE’s Sofia Offshore Wind Farm project is spent within the UK. Siemens Gamesa will manufacture , install and commission all 100 of the SG 14-222 DD turbines. Each turbine will stand 252m tall, have 108m long turbine blades and a 222m rotor diameter. The total size of the wind farm will be 593km², approximately the size of the Isle of Man, according to a press release .

“Our wind power business Siemens Gamesa makes Siemens Energy a global market leader for renewable energies. At our offshore wind blade factory in Hull we’re powering the energy transition,” said Darren Davidson, Vice President Siemens Energy UK&I.

“We now employ over 1,300 people at the site, after recruiting more than 600 new employees over the last 12 months. We are proud to be a key supplier to RWE on a number of UK projects, including manufacturing the blades for Sofia. It’s great to have this project underway and unveil the first blade.”

Sofia Offshore Wind Farm to be completed in 2026

RWE has also maintained that working with Siemens Gamesa, they will deploy recyclable blades on 44 of 100 turbines – a record 132 individual blades. This follows the successful installation of recyclable blades at RWE’s Kaskasi Offshore Wind Farm off the German island Heligoland.

The Sofia Offshore Wind Farm project is located on Dogger Bank in the central North Sea, 121 miles off the north east coast of England.

The project is expected to be completed in 2026 as the offshore installation began this year.

RWE’s new offshore wind operations base, the ‘Grimsby Hub,’ will manage Sofia’s operations and maintenance activities. RWE is also developing its two Dogger Bank South projects in the region, which, together, would have a potential installed capacity of around 3 GW.