Rolls-Royce has received a second order from Eureka Pumps to supply mtu Series 4000 engines to power emergency power generators for the Norfolk Offshore Wind Farm on the east coast of the UK.
Offshore engines
The emergency power generators based on 20-cylinder mtu Series 4000 P63 engines, each with an output of 2,600 kWe, ensure that the power supply on the converter platforms remains stable even if the main power supply fails. They also ensure that control and monitoring systems continue to operate, that the infrastructure of the service crew quarters is maintained, and that lighting and other safety-critical systems do not fail. They also supply power for cooling and ventilation of important system components to prevent damage from overheating. In extreme cases, the emergency power generators enable the systems to be shut down and restarted in a controlled manner.
“The engines have to be extremely reliable because they are the piece of the puzzle that matters when it comes down to it,” explained Detlev Köster, sales manager in the offshore business at Rolls-Royce Power Systems. “We are delighted that Eureka Pumps is continuing to rely on our products in project phase 2.”
Supporting operations
Rolls-Royce will thus supply a total of four mtu engines for the first and second phases of the wind farm, which is operated by energy supplier RWE. The engines will be installed on two converter platforms at sea and onshore, which are the heart of the offshore grid connection. They ensure that the electricity generated at sea can be fed into the power grid. With a total capacity of 4.2 GW, the wind farm is expected to generate electricity for more than four million households during the course of this decade. It is located 50-80km off the east coast of the UK.
In related news, Rolls-Royce recently reached a long-term power purchase agreement with Stadtwerke Ulm/Neu-Ulm (SWU) for the annual purchase of around 20,000MWh of CO2-free electrical energy generated by hydropower. Read the full story here