Production in Full Swing at the Nacelle Factory
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Special edition for the inauguration of the Siemens Gamesa plant in Cuxhaven 01/2018 WINDInformation fromstärken the City of Cuxhaven and Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy Deliveries have begun Production in full swing at the nacelle factory From Cuxhaven to the offshore world: From there, the installation ship Apollo Numerous optimizations are in progress The first Siemens Gamesa wind turbines takes the turbines and uses an onboard on the four assembly lines – during ongoing built in the new plant have been installed crane to move them onto the foundations – production – that will bring all of the in Belgium’s Rentel offshore wind farm in 34 kilometers off the coast of Zeebrugge production stages up to speed, including the North Sea. The plant sends out deliver- in the North Sea. additional machines, tools, and equipment ies by ship on an almost weekly basis. for a perfectly coordinated material flow This delivery was a genuine coup for the “Our production is underway, but we’re still of the individual components. All 42 Rentel team, because the first nacelles arrived in the startup phase,” says Project Manager wind turbines will go online by the end of in March at the Ostend installation port Carsten-Sünnke Berendsen. “It will take a the year, supplying clean energy to 288,000 just in time for installation. few months to complete the ramp-up.” Belgian households. Dear readers, At the same time, we’re experiencing an of Cuxhaven authorities, the State of Lower this issue of WINDstärken economic breakthrough thanks to the German Saxony, the federal government, and the EU. honors an event that is Offshore-Industry-Center Cuxhaven, which is With Siemens Gamesa’s establishment here, very special to me as drawing additional relocations and having a Cuxhaven is facing a tremendous new Mayor of Cuxhaven: significant effect on the regional economy. challenge. We look forward to collaborating the official inauguration with all the stakeholders to shape the future of the Siemens Gamesa With its optimal port infrastructures, logistics of the energy transition. plant in Cuxhaven, an occasion filled with joy services, and a wealth of production, instal- and optimism. lation, and service expertise, Cuxhaven has established its position on the market. This The company’s arrival here has been the pioneering investment in Cuxhaven as the beginning of a new era for our coastal city: German Offshore-Industry-Center Cuxhaven Many jobs have been and are still being creat- could not have been implemented to such Dr. Ulrich Getsch, ed, and the job market is being revitalized. an extent without the tremendous support Mayor of Cuxhaven CHANCES & PERSPECTIVES How Siemens Gamesa stays on top Ready for the future Having produced over two-thirds of all the offshore wind turbines installed worldwide, Siemens Gamesa has an impressive history of success. But the competition is heating up. This spring on Capital Market Day, man- agement explained how the company can remain the market leader in the future. Grimmershörn bay How Cuxhaven benefits A city flourishes Seaport – North Sea resort – small metrop- an increase of 3 percent in 2017 compared olis at the mouth of the Elbe River: Cux- to the previous year.” DEHOGA Chairman Future-oriented strategy: Offshore CEO Andreas Nauen haven has many faces. But now the city is Kristian Kamp reports more than 3.7 million on Capital Market Day, which took place in the spring Quality products from the coast changing dynamically and establishing itself hotel stays and attributes the 1.5 percent fish boulevard There are three cornerstones in the corpo- as a permanent fixture in the offshore wind annual increase to two factors: “The greater rate strategy L3AD2020 that will carry the industry. share of business guests in our hotel busi- company into the future. First, Siemens Made in Cuxhaven The establishment of the Siemens Gamesa ness and the offshore industry as a factor Gamesa will strive to offer the best technol- nacelle plant has unleashed “many positive specific to our location mean that there is ogy for the levelized cost of energy. Second, Pride shows on the faces of employees ev- “But everyone was motivated by our greater domino effects,” according to Markus greater capacity utilization in our business- the business model will be defined by agility ery time the gates of the Siemens Gamesa goal.” But there’s one area where the Heinig. As CEO of UnternehmensVerband es even during the winter months.” in order to respond more quickly and less factory open and another new 400-ton behe- assorted team of electricians, mechanics, Cuxhaven Elbe-Weser-Dreieck e. V. (UVC), Tourism in Cuxhaven has also picked up bureaucratically to customer demands. And moth rolls onto the cargo ship. And no won- logistics specialists, and many other disci- Cuxhaven’s business association, he sees over the past few years. The wind indus- the strategy’s third element is the digitaliza- der, because the work of many expert hands plines, refuses to compromise: quality. Only “significant economic effects for the region try and vacationers are not incompatible, tion of products and their manufacture. goes into the production of these high-tech nacelles that have passed their 24-hour test that primarily benefit the construction and because improvements in the infrastructure wind turbines on the North Sea coast. run with no errors are delivered. housing industry, retail trade, port indus- and the location’s image, along with positive The plant in Cuxhaven has already set its Well over 400 people have found jobs with tries, skilled crafts and trades, hotels and signals sent by the knowledge and technol- city´s shopping area course for the future: a uniform technology Siemens Gamesa: Counting local suppliers Business developers, employment agencies, restaurants, and a variety of service indus- ogy sector, make the city and surrounding platform. The highly cost-efficient direct- and service providers, the number comes to and personnel departments worked hand in tries.” Companies are expecting to see an countryside more attractive to tourists and drive wind turbine is produced here. almost 800. Together they’re convinced that hand to put together a highly qualified and increase in consumerism. “The annual total residents. “Our booming tourist trade and To reduce costs, the modern production offshore wind energy is making an essential motivated team. There were special selec- purchasing power will grow by 20 million, or the creation of the German Offshore-In- facility was built on the waterfront and is contribution to the success of the energy tion procedures, intensive training courses, possibly even 30 million Euros in the coming dustry-Center Cuxhaven complement one linked to the offshore supply chain via Ro/ transition, because working on the turbines and integration activities for all occupational years,” predicts Heinig. another perfectly, and are clearly separated Ro logistics. The plant is also advanced in leads to active climate protection. groups. The company deliberately solicited spatially,” emphasizes UVC CEO Heinig. The terms of digitalization: Robots are being talented women. The results are remark- The upward trend is already being felt. former decline in population has already deployed and flexible digital controller “For months, we struggled with tempo- able: The diverse teams are pooling all their “Incoming orders for skilled crafts are in- stabilized and the qualification level of components are installed in the completed rary arrangements and deficiencies: for skills to produce quality made in Cuxhaven. creasing,” says Yana Arbeiter, CEO of Kreis- the workforce has improved. The rate of plant. example, in the matter of buildings and a handwerkerschaft Elbe-Weser, the district unemployment in the Cuxhaven district has beach promenade factory cafeteria,” says project manager craftspeople’s association. “In the Cuxhaven dropped by almost one percent, and even Carsten-Sünnke Berendsen. and Land Hadeln areas, we already saw 1.2 percent in the city. 2 3 ENERGY & PROGRESS Drone inspection and repair robots Latest technologies for rotor blade maintenance At Siemens Gamesa, this job will soon be taken over by automated camera drones. The drones follow a precisely defined course along all three blades of the turbines while taking high-resolution pictures of the sur- face. Smart software also helps analyze any damage: A computer program analyzes the images with millimeter precision while at the same time learning to evaluate damage more and more accurately. Soon there will also be a machine to help with surface repairs. “Rope robotics” is the procedure by which a compact robot sus- pended from the hub rappels down to the Flying eye: Siemens Gamesa tests damaged area. Its automated arm is equipped automated rotor blade inspections with grinding, spatula, and painting tools. Responsible for 4.7 of the 5.4 GW of installed power, the majority of Germany’s offshore wind turbines are in the North Sea Rotor blades are among the most stressed The primary goal of almost all innovations components in a wind power plant. Regular in the wind industry is to reduce operating inspections are required to keep the blades costs. Computers can support experts more Offshore power for a clean future operating reliably for their lifecycle of 25 quickly and accurately than humans. Until years. Siemens Gamesa has recently begun now, technicians have been required to The North and Baltic Seas drive the energy transition using automated drones whose camera regularly inspect all sections of rotor blades images are evaluated by state-of-the-art offshore while working under uncomfort- It’s full steam ahead for the energy transi- nomic Affairs and Energy), some 27,200 This was the operators’ way of signaling that computer programs. able conditions suspended from a cable. tion: In 2017 the amount of power produced employees are working in the offshore wind the projects would be able to manage with- by German offshore wind turbines rose to an industry, generating an annual revenue out public funding as early as 2023/24.