GE Vernova, in consortium with Drydocks World, has been awarded the Ostwind 4 project by 50Hertz, a German Transmission System Operator. The project involves the design, construction, and commissioning of a 2 GW High-Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) electric transmission system connecting an offshore wind farm to the German grid.
Located in the Arkona Basin, approximately 30 kilometres northeast of Rügen Island, the Ostwind 4 project will transport up to 2 GW of offshore wind energy via the HVDC system to the mainland.
Provisionally scheduled for completion by the end of 2031, the project is expected to feature a bipolar HVDC transmission system operating at 525 kilovolts (kV). The GE Vernova–Drydocks World consortium is responsible for delivering both the offshore converter platform and the onshore converter station. GE Vernova will supply its HVDC technology, including voltage-sourced converters (VSC), high-voltage transformers, g3 gas-insulated switchgear (GIS), air-core reactors, civil works for the onshore converter station, and grid automation telecommunications equipment.
Drydocks World will design, fabricate, and install the offshore converter platform, including the jacket substructure and topside. Built at Drydocks World’s Dubai facility, this infrastructure features a U-shaped jacket substructure with integrated nature-inclusive scour protection, enhancing marine biodiversity while minimising environmental impact.
