RWE’s Sofia Offshore Wind Farm team has set sail on the state-of-the-art service operation vessel REM Power. The vessel is designed to support the team during the construction phase, it set sail from the Port of Blyth, and provides a ‘home away from home’ for the Sofia team.
RWE is committed to being at the forefront of the energy transition. REM Power is designed for efficiency, built around a hybrid battery solution, reducing fuel consumption compared to traditional vessels. With the wind farm array so far away from shore, REM power accommodates 45 team members and crew and is equipped with advanced facilities designed for the next stage of the project.
With a focus on crew wellbeing, the 85-metre long vessel REM Power boasts a range of modern amenities including a gym, day room, canteen and modern hospital, as well as comfortable living quarters. RWE has produced a video to describe the vessel that the offshore wind technicians will live on here.
Senior project manager Jonathan Grigg explained: “REM Power allows us to manage operations directly from the site, giving our workforce access to the foundations and the offshore converter platform. The launch of this vessel marked the beginning of the offshore construction phase.”
RWE owns and operates 10 offshore wind farms in the UK, with a total installed capacity of over 3.8GW. The Sofia Offshore Wind Farm, RWE’s 11th project, will have an impressive installed capacity of 1.4GW, enough to power the equivalent of 1.2 million typical UK homes.
The Sofia Offshore Wind Farm is currently under construction with commissioning expected in 2026, the installation of turbine foundations underway and the Offshore Convertor Station installation completed. Sofia will comprise 100 Siemens Gamesa 14 megawatt (MW) offshore wind turbines.
