Participation in this project provided us with a wealth of practical knowledge and experience in top-level wind farm construction work. Due to its significant complexity, Hornsea Two required teams from many companies and countries to work together (Ørsted — Denmark, Poland, Singapore; ABB — Poland, Finland, Sweden, Singapore, Hong Kong; local port companies, international shipping companies and us — Eltel Networks). Nowhere else have I managed to meet such a diverse workforce in practice: from port workers, primarily from Indonesia, India and Bangladesh, to project managers from Nordic and Asian countries. Our ability to overcome the challenges posed by the cultural diversity, the project's complexity and the need to work under extreme conditions — on the other side of the world — is a testament to the fact that good relationships, talents, teamwork, English language communication, and above all, the willingness to understand and listen to the other person are paramount to the ultimate success of the whole project.
Ireneusz Zawadzki
Maintenance Engineer
Eltel Networks Energetyka SA
FACTS
Investor: Ørsted/ ABB Poland
Location: about 89 km off the Yorkshire coast in the North Sea
Completion: 2020
PROJECT DETAILS
- wind farm capacity above 1.3 GW
- powering more than 1.3 million homes
- wind farm area of 462 km²
CHALLENGE
Eltel Networks has been working with ABB, now Hitachi, for many years. Our know-how, experience, excellent business relations and previous successful ventures (also related to the construction of wind platforms, e.g. in Belgium) enabled us to participate in the Hornsea Two project. As ABB's subcontractor, we were responsible for the installation of 6 power transformers manufactured by ABB Poland, 3 chokes manufactured by ABB Sweden, as well as 3 chokes manufactured by ABB Finland, in a port hall in Singapore. This involved the so-called pre-assembly and preparation of the structures on the target wind platform.
We faced many challenges while working in Singapore, including language and communication issues, cultural diversity, a just-in-time supply chain, climate and distance from home, as well as complex technical solutions, which we jointly agreed upon and brought to fruition in cooperation with engineers from multiple countries, thus meeting the requirements of the customer, who ultimately received the service ordered.
EFFECT
The outcome of our work was the installation of ABB's transformers and chokes on the wind platform, enabling the finished product to reach its final destination in the North Sea. The project comprises a total of 165 8 MW SG 8.0-167 DD turbines, which provide 20% higher annual energy production than the turbines operated at Hornsea One. Hornsea Two, in which we were actively involved, utilises the world's largest offshore substation to deliver electricity from offshore wind power to millions of homes in the UK. With a capacity of more than 1.3 GW, the Hornsea Two wind farm has now overtaken Hornsea One to become the world's largest offshore wind farm as of 2022.
Our involvement in such enormous a project as Hornsea Two is so crucial for several reasons:
- it allows us to gain practical experience in international projects, which can be used in subsequent power energy projects
- it gives us an opportunity to establish new business contacts with investors and subcontractors
- it bolsters the existing business ties between Eltel Networks and ABB-Hitachi
- it allows Eltel Networks to build a strong brand as a company that successfully participates in major international energy projects
- it confirms our capabilities, resources and competencies (both of the company and of the employees) to perform professional services on the global energy construction market
