Vattenfall has reached another construction milestone at its Nordlicht I offshore wind project in the German North Sea, completing the installation of the first transition piece at what is set to become Germany's largest offshore wind farm.

A Critical Connection in the Foundation Structure

The transition piece serves as the structural link between the monopile anchored in the seabed and the wind turbine that will later be erected on top of it. Beyond its structural role, it also acts as a key interface for a range of technical systems, making it a central component of each turbine's foundation assembly.

Manuel Fischer, EPC Director Nordlicht at Vattenfall, described the installation as a defining step in the project's progress. "With the first installed transition piece, we have reached another decisive step in the construction of Nordlicht I," Fischer said.

"An offshore wind farm is made up of a large number of components that must fit together safely and precisely. With this milestone, the careful preparation and close collaboration between our project team and our partners is now becoming visible step by step at sea."

Construction Timeline and Supply Chain

Vattenfall began the offshore construction phase for Nordlicht I in early July, when the first monopile was installed, marking the start of a central phase of foundation work at sea. The latest installation of the transition piece follows directly from that initial step.

The transport and installation of both the monopiles and transition pieces for Nordlicht I and the adjacent Nordlicht II project are being carried out by DEME. The transition pieces themselves are manufactured by CS Wind Offshore at its facility in Aalborg, Denmark, while the monopiles are produced by EEW Special Pipe Constructions in Rostock, Germany. When completed, Nordlicht I will require a total of 68 monopile and transition piece foundation sets.

Scale and Location of the Nordlicht Cluster

The Nordlicht offshore wind cluster is located approximately 85 kilometres north of the island of Borkum in the German North Sea. The cluster comprises two separate projects: Nordlicht I, with a planned capacity of around 980 megawatts, and Nordlicht II, with a capacity of around 630 megawatts.

Upon completion, Nordlicht I is expected to hold the title of Germany's largest offshore wind farm. Once the entire cluster is fully operational, it is projected to generate approximately six terawatt hours of electricity per year. Vattenfall has stated that this output would help meet growing demand from industry and society for reliable, fossil-free and locally produced power.

Sustainability Measures Built Into the Design

As part of Vattenfall's broader sustainability commitments, the wind farms within the Nordlicht cluster will be equipped with turbine towers that are partly manufactured using low-emission steel. According to the company, this approach reduces the overall carbon footprint of the turbines by approximately 16 percent.

The progression from the first monopile installation in early July to the first transition piece in early August reflects steady forward movement on the construction schedule, with foundation work continuing across the site in the North Sea.

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