As a leading technology company for insulating and connecting electrical conductors, PFISTERER supplies connection technology for the offshore wind farm, Empire Wind, developed by Equinor, which will go into operation in 2026 off the northern east coast of the USA. The company’s products, headquartered in Winterbach near Stuttgart, are used in the turbines and on the offshore platform and ensure a safe and reliable flow of electricity to the mainland for decades. Empire Wind 1 and 2 have a total capacity of more than 2 gigawatts and are expected to generate enough wind power to power more than a million New York homes with renewable energy.
PFISTERER connects turbines and offshore platforms
Connection technology from PFISTERER is used in Vestas’ wind turbines at Empire Wind 1: The 236-15.0 MW(TM) series is currently one of the most powerful turbines. Each of the turbines is connected with PFISTERER fittings that were specifically developed for offshore applications. PFISTERER’s pluggable connection system offers the opportunity to test the entire array cable infrastructure before turbine installation. The connection work is quick and easy using the plug-and-play principle. This speeds up project processing, saves time and costs and at the same time offers a permanently reliable connection.
“Our turbine towers are transported in segments to the installation site in the wind farm. In order to keep the offshore assembly time as short as possible, PFISTERER has developed a tailor-made junction box for Vestas. This allows the cables pre-assembled in the tower segments to be easily and simply plugged in “Quickly connect them together. It’s just like plugging in an extension cable at home, only in larger dimensions,” explains Stephan Kremers, project manager at Vestas.
For the cabling of the offshore platform, technology from PFISTERER, including SEANEX, was also chosen. Universal connection systems from PFISTERER have been tried and tested in the offshore sector for more than 25 years and have been installed in numerous wind farms worldwide.
First order for the new PFISTERER factory in Rochester, NY
So-called “dropper cables” are used during the installation work. The cables, pre-assembled with connectors, make it possible to establish a quick and efficient electrical connection between the switchgear (GIS) and the connecting sleeve to the submarine cable in the base of the turbine. The dropper cables were assembled in the new PFISTERER factory in Rochester, New York. Rochester is the youngest location in the global factory network and supplies the American continent with PFISTERER technology. In addition, fitters in Rochester are trained to install PFISTERER cable accessories. “Our products are used in many large offshore wind farms, but Empire Wind 1 is a special project for us. It is the first order in which our new plant in Rochester is directly involved,” says Marcus Horn, President of PFISTERER North America .
Connection technology for the high seas
Member of the Board of Directors of PFISTERER Holding SE, Dr. Konstantin Kurfiss: “Our mission is to actively shape the change to a sustainable world. Electricity generation in offshore wind turbines plays a key role in achieving global CO2 targets.”
“Reliable connection technology is crucial in extreme conditions on the high seas. This interface expertise makes us a reliable partner for planners, designers and operators of offshore wind farms,” adds Dana Felberg, Team Lead Renewables Projects at PFISTERER.
About PFISTERER:
PFISTERER is one of the world’s leading specialists and system providers for energy infrastructure – with a complete range of cable accessories, overhead line technology and components along the entire transmission chain from energy generation to consumption. With state-of-the-art manufacturing processes and 1,200 employees at 19 international locations and 5 factories, PFISTERER not only connects the power grids of today and tomorrow, but also makes an important contribution to a sustainable and secure energy infrastructure. Karl Pfisterer founded the company in Stuttgart in 1921 with the aim of improving the world of electricity transmission. The PFISTERER Group continues to follow this standard of quality and technological leadership to this day.