The lead-off turbine is in at Northland Power’s 269MW Deutsche Bucht wind power development in the German North Sea.

A total of 33 MHI Vestas V164-8.4s will be installed as part of the Canadian developer’s project, which features a pair of suction bucket foundations — the first commercial models in the world — along with conventional monopoles.

“The project is an important one for MHI Vestas and our partners, not only because of our growing experience in Germany, but also our contribution to the German energy transition,” said MHI Vestas chief operations officer Flemming Ougaard.

The project’s next-generation foundations, Universal Foundation’s so-called Mono Bucket concept, each weigh 1,100-tonnes, and have a base diameter of 18.5 metres, with skirts that penetrate 16.5-18.5 metres into the project site’s seabed.

Fully operational, Deutsche Bucht, located 95km of the island of Borkum, will produce enough wind energy to power 328,000 German homes. The development is Northland’s third offshore wind project.