He Dreht Offshore Wind Farm to Power Steel Production in Germany
April 12, 2024
Energy utility giant EnBW and steel company SHS - Stahl-Holding-Saar have signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) for the supply of green electricity from the He Dreht offshore wind farm that will be used to power steel production.
The long-term PPA between SHS and EnBW is for the supply of 50 MW of power for the period of 15 years.
The green electricity supply will enable SHS to sustainably transform the business activities of its companies Saarstahl and Dillinger and reduce its own carbon emissions when manufacturing steel in the future.
The He Dreiht offshore wind farm is scheduled to enter operation at the end of 2025.
Located 90 km north of Borkum, it will be able to supply the equivalent of 1.1 million households with renewable energy upon completion, with an output of 960 MW.
According to SHS, it can cover an annual consumption of roughly 200 GWh with the green electricity from the offshore wind farm.
He Dreiht is currently one of the largest energy transition projects in Europe with 64 turbines and an area of 63 square kilometers.
The 64 monopiles for the wind farm are being supplied by Steelwind Nordenham, a company of the Dillinger Group.
The individual monopiles each measure 70 meters in length, have a diameter of 9.2 meters and weigh up to 1,300 metric tons.
High-performance plates from Steelwind’s parent company Dillinger, Europe’s leading manufacturer of heavy-plate products, are being used. These plates have been specially developed for use in the offshore wind sector and are known for their superior quality, even under adverse conditions at sea.
“The cooperation with EnBW is a real win-win situation. We supply the steel for the wind farm, while the electricity generated here from renewable sources in turn helps us to drive the transformation process for our companies Saarstahl and Dillinger.
“Our steel production operation is still based on classic blast furnace technology. From 2030, we want to generate fewer emissions when manufacturing 3.5 million metric tons – about 70 percent – of our steel” said Stefan Rauber, Chairman of the Board of Management of SHS – Stahl-Holding-Saar and Chairman of Dillinger und Saarstahl, explaining the upcoming transformation process.
