[Case Study] Offshore Wind Farm: Douce Hydro Chooses Poclain
An offshore wind farm is set for development in Normandy, France, by 2025. The farm will produce enough electricity to supply 630,000 residents. Douce Hydro, a French company, has provided two custom-made winches dedicated to the installation of 64 wind turbines. These winches, designed for retrieving an umbilical cable aboard a service vessel, are equipped with Poclain’s MI330 hydraulic motors.
Douce Hydro : A specialist in large-scale projects
As a manufacturer of custom solutions across various industries, Douce Hydro is no stranger to large-scale challenges. Douce Hydro is especially prominent in the offshore, marine, renewable energy, and civil engineering sectors.
The company has already been involved in many impressive projects, including the Singapore offshore wind farm, the Three Gorges dam in China, and the Pierre Mauroy stadium in Lille, which hosted basketball events for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
For this project, Douce Hydro teamed up with SA Joly, a specialist in the design and manufacturing of metal reels, as well as with Poclain for the drive. The expertise of each company allowed them to tackle technical challenges while meeting tight project deadlines. “Poclain embarked on a race against time to deliver the four motors,” says Pierrick, an Application Engineer at Poclain.
Four 40,000cc MI330 Motors the service vessel’s winches
The 6-meter-wide winches are installed on each side of the vessel, enabling the winding and unwinding of a 60 cm diameter umbilical cable on a 6-meter diameter spool. The cable supplies oil, electricity, and control signals to a 2,000-ton windmill installation tower, which is supported by Douce Hydro cylinders.
Poclain’s motors power the winches, which handle a total weight of 30 tons. The MI330, with its direct-drive displacement ranging from 26,690 to 40,000 cc and a maximum torque of 200,000 Nm, perfectly meets the needs of these large-scale winches. In July 2023, Douce Hydro contacted Poclain, and the MI330 hydraulic motors were produced and delivered in record time.
This is the first time we’ve handled rotary motion and integrated motors of this size.
Among the first four offshore wind farms in France
The service vessel, equipped in Rotterdam, is working on the Courseulles-sur-Mer wind farm in Normandy, one of the first four in France. This 64-turbine wind farm will generate 450 megawatts to power 630,000 homes. It is expected to be operational by 2025.
This project adds to Douce Hydro’s proven history of large-scale ventures. The company is currently involved in hydroelectric dam projects in Canada and France.
Douce Hydro: A global leader in hydraulic cylinders
Based in Albert, in Northern France, Douce Hydro has established itself as a global leader in the design and manufacturing of custom hydraulic cylinders. Douce Hydro tackles mega-projects with their unique manufacturing and repair capabilities, offering cylinder diameters up to 2.4 meters and handling capacities of up to 80 tons, across a 24,000 sqm highly integrated production area.
Douce Hydro is part of the FIDH group, with four production sites and two commercial subsidiaries, all dedicated to hydromechanical applications across various sectors. In 2024, the group is expected to generate a consolidated revenue of 30 million euros, three-quarters of which are from projects overseas.
The family-owned company, founded in 1950, celebrates its 75th anniversary this year.
