A Special Purpose Company Established to develop an offshore Wind Farm in the Mediterranean Sea in Italy.
Overview
The main objective is to develop a project that combines sustainable growth and respect for the environment. The project will be developed in osmosis with the different possible uses to which the marine space can be finalised and the possible interactions between them: industrial fishing, small scale fishing and sport fishing, aquaculture, navigation, tourism, biodiversity, environmental monitoring, extraction of fossil fuels. The offshore wind farm is located within the Italian territorial waters. In that area, where the offshore farm is located, the seabed has a depth varying between 100m and 200m.
Maritime Spatial Planning:
The area of interest falls entirely within on the Adventure Desk. It is a large stretch of continental shelf carbonate, which extends from the coast south-western Sicily up to approximately 200 meters deep. From a sub-area flat, between 80 and 90 metres above sea level depth, several shoals rise that have carbon origin and volcanic cones.
The choice of Maritime Space was made taking into account the Community Directive 89/2014/EU which promotes the sustainable growth of maritime economies, the sustainable development of marine areas and the sustainable use of marine resources, aimed at reducing the potential conflicts between the multiple activities that take place at sea.
The project is consistent with the objectives set out in the community, national and regional programs and regulatory provisions:
- Paris Protocol of 2015 and the World Climate Conference in Madrid of 2019.
- Eu. Communication of 13 November 2008.
- National Energy Strategy of 2017 – National Integrated Energy Plan 2019
Layout Definition:
- The choice of the layout was based on 3 considerations: (1) Landscape and environmental considerations, (2) Considerations related to the rationalisation of the use of marine space and interactions with other uses, (3) Technical and wind considerations aimed at optimising production.
- Will consist of 36 wind turbines divided into 6 strings, each composed of 6 turbines (V236Vestas 15MW).
- The wind turbines will be spaced approximately 2,200m corresponding to approximately 9 rotor diameters. Each subfield string is expected to start 66kV marine transmission cable to OSS semi-submersible. The departure from the OSS is planned for 150kV marine transmission cable directed to the point of ground connection.
- The energy produced by the wind turbines through a system of 66kV high voltage cable ducts, will be conveyed to a 150/66 kV floating transformation substation, to raise the voltage from 66 kV to 150 kV. The floating substation will be connected to the national electricity transmission grid (RTN) by means of marine cables and inAT terrestrial cables.
- The plant will have a total nominal power of 540MW, will supply energy to the Sicilian electrical system, in the first hypothesis through connection to the national electrical grid at 389kV operated at the SE Partanna and the future 380 kV section og the SE 220/150kV Partinico, as per STMG accepted on the 02/27/2023.
