Siemens is to provide turnkey construction of the offshore part of the Noordoostpolder Wind Farm. To this end, Westermeerwind today signed an agreement (Conditional Contract) with an investment value in the hundreds of millions of euros. A total of 48 wind turbines each with a capacity of 3 MW will be constructed in three rows at 500 and 1100 metres in the waters along the dikes of the Noordoostpolder. A transformer substation will also be supplied to Westermeerdijk. Siemens will continue to maintain the wind farm for a period of 15 years following handover. The first turbines are expected to supply energy to the existing network from the second half of 2015. 

Westermeerwind wind farm
The Westermeerwind Wind Farm is the near shore part of the Noordoostpolder Wind Farm, the largest wind farm in the Netherlands. The 48 wind turbines will be located parallel to the dikes on the west side of the Noordoostpolder. Construction in the IJsselmeer, located partly in Frisian territory in the municipality of Lemsterland (6 turbines), is scheduled for 2014 and preparations are fully under way. The wind turbines will be operational by 2015. They will then deliver sustainable energy to some 160,000 households. The Noordoostpolder Wind Farm will comprise a total of 86 wind turbines. With a contribution expected to exceed 1.2%, the Noordoostpolder Wind Farm will play a key role in achieving the government’s aim of generating 16% of energy requirements sustainably by 2020.

Investment opportunities for residents of the municipalities of Noordoostpolder, Lemsterland and Urk
The Westermeerwind Wind Farm is being developed for and by the polder: an investment model for residents of the municipalities of Noordoostpolder, Urk and Lemsterland will be developed.

Sustainably stimulating the local economy: Job opportunities
The construction, operation and management of the entire Noordoostpolder Wind Farm will create direct and indirect job opportunities. The construction phase will mean around 300 new jobs. Following completion, the wind farm will result in approximately 100 permanent jobs. Local industry expertise will be called into play during the planning, development and construction phases. Siemens alone has already contacted 40 local companies which have registered as potential suppliers. These are companies which, for example, are able to provide earth moving, road and water transport or security.

Westermeerwind BV

Westermeerwind BV is located in Noordoostpolder and was founded to develop the Westermeerwind Wind Farm in one of the windiest, and thus most energy efficient, sites in the Netherlands, offshore from the IJsselmeer along the Westermeer and Noordermeer dikes. See also www.windparknoordoostpolder.nl and www.westermeerwind.nl

Note for the agricultural press:
The founders and directors of Westermeerwind BV, Pieter Meulendijks and Tjitte de Groot, are farmers from Creil. They are pioneers in the wind sector. They are co-founders of VWIJ (Vereniging Windenergie IJsselmeerpolders – The IJsselmeerpolder Wind Energy Association) and in 1994 raised the potential height of wind turbines on farm land in Noordoostpolder from 40 to 50 metres; in 1995 they purchased the first 600 kW (0.6 MW) Tacke wind turbines in the Netherlands which they sited on their own land close to today’s Noordoostpolder Wind Farm. In 1996, they founded Westermeerwind BV.

Ventolines BV
Ventolines advises and accelerates the development, financing and realisation of wind farms with a capacity of 1 to 100+ MW and also operates wind farms. Since 2007, Westermeerwind BV has subcontracted the complete project management of Westermeerwind to Ventolines BV. See also www.ventolines.nl