Technicians helping build the 50 turbine Baltic Eagle offshore windfarm will fly in helicopters partly powered by sustainable aviation fuel says Vestas, supplier of the turbines
Vestas will pilot Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) at the Baltic Eagle Wind Farm in the Baltic Sea during 2024. The pilot project entails Vestas technicians and jack-up vessel crew using helicopters partly powered by SAF to transport themselves to and from the Baltic Eagle wind farm during the construction phase of 50 offshore wind turbines.
SAF is a fuel produced from bio-waste materials such as used cooking oil or tallow. Because SAF can help reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions associated with air travel, it is generally considered a more sustainable alternative to conventional jet fuel.
The pilot project is scheduled to take place until September 2024. Helicopter service provider HeliService, will use helicopters from Leonardo S.p.a. flying on approximately 40 percent SAF provided by DCC & Shell Aviation Denmark A/S. A blend rate of 40 percent SAF is close to the highest possible blend rate permitted today and it is the first time that SAF-fueled helicopters with such a high blend rate are used for an entire part during the construction phase of an offshore wind farm operation.
CO2 savings of approximately 32 percent per flight are expected compared to using a standard helicopter powered by conventional jet fuel. Vestas will assess the impact of the SAF following the end of the pilot project.
Baltic Eagle, with a capacity of 476 MW, will have 50 wind turbines of 9.53-MW of unit power on monopiles, for an annual production sufficient to meet the needs of 300,000 homes and avoid the emission of 800 thousand tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere every year.
The initiative is in line with Vestas’ sustainability strategy which includes becoming carbon neutral in our own operations by 2030 and reducing emissions in our supply chain by 45 percent per MWh generated. In relative terms, offshore wind projects experience higher CO2-emissions from construction and service operations than onshore wind projects due to the need of vessels and helicopters, and we need to develop new solutions for offshore wind to become carbon neutral.
Kieran Walsh, Senior Vice President and Head of Construction at Vestas Northern & Central Europe, says: “This is yet another initiative through which Vestas continues to implement its sustainability strategy. There is a significant need for more sustainable solutions during these wind farms’ construction and operation phases. The potential for using SAF in offshore operations is high and we are pleased to further exploit this potential.”
Sune Petersen, Head of Strategy and Sustainability at DCC & Shell Aviation Denmark says: “The delivery of SAF to Roskilde Airport, which will serve as a helicopter base during Vestas’ pilot project, marks another milestone in our efforts to support the growing demand for alternatives to conventional jet fuel. It also marks an initial step towards introducing SAF into the fuel mix for helicopter services – not only in Denmark but also on a European scale”.
Oliver Freiland, CEO HeliService says: “Vestas’ decision to use SAF for the crew change flights demonstrates our joint commitment to operate more sustainably in terms of Co2 reduction. HeliService’s Leonardo helicopters powered by engines from aerospace manufacturer Pratt & Whitney are designed to operate with SAF already today.”
About Vestas
Vestas is the energy industry’s global partner on sustainable energy solutions. We design, manufacture, install, and service onshore and offshore wind turbines across the globe, and with more than 179 GW of wind turbines in 88 countries, we have installed more wind power than anyone else. Through our industry-leading smart data capabilities and unparalleled more than 149 GW of wind turbines under service, we use data to interpret, forecast, and exploit wind resources and deliver best-in-class wind power solutions. Together with our customers, Vestas’ more than 30,000 employees are bringing the world sustainable energy solutions to power a bright future.
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