DONG Energy, E.ON and Masdar have today announced that six major supply and installation contracts for London Array have now been signed, paving the way for construction of the world's largest offshore wind farm.

Contracts totalling almost €2bn have been agreed with seven European suppliers, which will be responsible for providing the components and expertise needed to construct the first 630MW phase of the project. Offshore work is scheduled to start early in 2011 with phase one construction finished by the end of 2012.

Once complete, the scheme will be the world's largest, and the first 1GW, offshore wind farm. Sited in the Thames Estuary, the project will supply enough power for around 750,000 homes - or a quarter of Greater London homes - and displace the emission of 1.9m tonnes of CO2 every year.

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The largest contract, worth around €1bn, was signed in May 2009 with Siemens Wind Power, who will be supplying 175 turbines for the first phase of the project. Each will be rated at 3.6MW, be fitted with the new Siemens 120m rotor and have a hub height of 87m above sea level. Siemens Wind Power has also entered into a warranty and five year turbine servicing contract.

The Joint Venture between Per Aarsleff A/S and Bilfinger Berger Ingeniuerbeau GmBH has been awarded the foundations contract. As well as supplying and installing the 177 monopiles - including one for each of the two offshore substations - the joint venture will install the wind turbines.

The contract to design, fabricate and install the two offshore substations required for phase one has gone to Future Energy, a joint venture between Fabricom, Iemants and Geosea. Each offshore substation is identical and will be built on three levels, with each deck level being 20m in plan area.

Dr Frank Mastiaux, Chief Executive of E.ON Climate & Renewables, said: "Signing these contracts is a significant milestone for the London Array project, which will be a vital scheme as we look to take renewables from being a niche power player to being a significant, vital part of the UK's energy landscape."

(CD/KMcA)