NO-DIG gently brings wind energy ashore
The Balwin 1 and Balwin 2 grid connection systems run from North Sea wind farms under the island of Norderney to the mainland. Together, they have a transmission capacity of 4,000 megawatts – enough green electricity for around four million people. In 2025 and 2026, the protective pipes that will later house the submarine cables will be installed undergound from the centre of the island in a southerly and northerly direction, respectively. Due to the unstable sandy soil in the HDD bore starting area, the TAURUS is used to drive casing pipes into the drillable soil layers for guidance.
The construction works in the dune and mudflat landscape of Norderney are subject to strict nature conservation requirements. For noise protection reasons, the steel pipe casings can only be driven into the ground with the TAURUS within specified time windows. Once the HDD pilot bores through the casings along the cable routes have been completed, the steel pipes will be pulled out and reused for the second construction phase in 2026. This trenchless construction method is not only not only gentle on the strictly protected nature and minimises disruption to the numerous holidaymakers, but it also saves a lot of time: the grid connection systems can be commissioned one or two years earlier than planned.
