The Lüttje Klaasohm is collected on the Borkum island in Germany unmarried men dress up as so-called Klaasohms with masks A man parades across a street with a cow horn on his back on the Borkum island in Germany Police observe the Klaasohm event on the Borkum island in Germany People celebrate the new Klaasohms on the Borkum island in Germany BERLIN (AP) — An annual festival on a German North Sea island that had drawn criticism over a practice of men hitting women with cow’s horns passed without reports of assaults this year the westernmost of a string of German islands A report by ARD public television aired late last month showed women being stopped by costumed men and hit on the buttocks with a cow’s horn at the 2023 festival and anonymous witnesses discussing aggressive behavior at the event The association that organizes the festival said ahead of this year’s festival that the practice would be scrapped and it would no longer tolerate violence against women said that the violence had developed from “a tradition of a kind of chastisement” of people who approach the “Klaasohms” — men dressed up in masks sheepskin and feathers — without permission a rethinking had already started over the past decade but the matter hadn’t been pursued emphatically enough until now police said they raised their presence on Borkum significantly they had received no reports of bodily harm or any assaults Regional police chief Thomas Memering said in a statement that if offenses from this year’s or past festivals come to light after the event “Customs and traditions don’t provide protection against prosecution,” he said Wind turbine installation at the Borkum Riffgrund 3 offshore wind farm in Germany has been completed with the final Siemens Gamesa 11 MW turbine now installed The final of the project’s 83 wind turbines was installed by Cadeler using its vessel Wind Osprey which performed part of the installation work while the other part was carried out by Seaway7’s newbuild Seaway Ventus which installed the first wind turbine at Borkum Riffgrund 3 in June 2024 The two vessels were deployed to install the wind turbines at Gode Wind 3 and Borkum Riffgrund 3 offshore sites consecutively as Ørsted is building the two projects concurrently Cadeler has transported and installed 48 and Seaway7 58 Siemens Gamesa 11 MW turbines Borkum Riffgrund 3 will become Germany’s largest offshore wind farm once fully operational The wind farm’s commercial operation date has been moved to early 2026 as TenneT has yet to complete the DolWin5 offshore grid connection that will link Borkum Riffgrund 3 to the German grid on land The offshore grid was planned to be ready by the time Borkum Riffgrund 3 was built due to a knock-on effect of the challenges brought by the Covid pandemic in Singapore where the DolWin epsilon platform was built the transmission system operator expects to install the platform in the German North Sea in autumn this year and have it in service by 2026 TenneT is compensating Ørsted for this delay Daily news and in-depth stories in your inbox Leveraging 20 years of experience with offshore windDecember 2023 will forever mark a milestone in our company history as we became part of the world-wide CS WIND group The acquisition goes beyond a mere change in ownership; it marks a leap into a future where our combined strengths will pave the way for optimized production […] either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content A German Christmas tradition of hitting women's bottoms with a bull horn after chasing them through the streets has been banned after a documentary highlighted complaints of brutality Footage shows severe and humiliating smacking of women in public As part of the bizarre tradition on the island of Borkum six men dress up as monsters in woolly costumes to hunt the women before holding them and subjecting them to the bull horn beatings who is a man dressed in a milkmaid's costume The rituals are enacted by the Verein Borkumer Jungens e.V 1830 association (Borkum Lads Club) at the annual festival of Klaashom on December 5 which was investigated in a 30-minute documentary by YouTube news outlet STRG_F One woman in the documentary said she was left with hematomas and bruises Another woman called the tradition "oppressive and overwhelming" and speaking of a past incident I was angry at myself because I asked why I went with them why did I listen to others and not to my instincts the club has now said it will ban any violence against women from the annual festival Newsweek has asked the Borkumer Jungens e.V The festival is apparently tied to traditions from the 17th and 18th century fishing seasons in which fishermen would return from their time at sea to run around the island to reclaim it from the women a Lower Saxony state secretary in the ministry of social affairs said it was important that "anyone who wants to be spanked with a horn is allowed to do so," but that those that don't "must be respected," according to the Telegraph and the island's mayor questioned the validity of the documentary's findings German national newspaper Die Zeit quoted another Lower Saxony minister who condemned the tradition and said: "Customs and traditions must never be a justification for violence against women The reporting on the Klaasohm festival on Borkum shows that not all of the women affected agreed with this violent custom and that it was not easy for them to articulate this." The festivities have been organized since the 1830s by the Borkum Lads Club which has now apologized for its actions and distanced itself from violence against women In a statement it said: "We expressly distance ourselves from any form of violence against women and apologize for the historically grown actions of past years We cannot deny that this was an aspect of the festival in the past this part of the tradition has never been the core of the festival but was merely a minimal component that has hardly been carried out at all in recent years "The fact that this unfortunately does happen in isolated cases is something the VBJ is aware of its responsibility and will consistently prohibit it in the future The association will completely abolish the custom of 'hitting.' We as a community have clearly decided to leave this aspect of tradition behind and focus on what the festival really means: the solidarity of the islanders." State parliament member, Meta Janssen-Kucz applauded proposals in the statement and specified that other parts of the festivities will continue She said: "This clear 'no' to violence against women was long overdue Especially if violence is no longer used in the future." said: "We understand that not every outsider can understand this tradition it is also important to recognize that the changes that the festival has undergone and is currently undergoing are not ignored Violence must not play a role and that is exactly what we want to make clear." local police also released a statement that they would increase the number of officers present and prevent crime Not all women are opposed to the festive practice as approximately 150 to 200 women protested for the preservation of the custom walking through the streets blowing into cow horns Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsletters in your inbox See all It's turning: Germany's largest offshore wind farm is being built in the North Sea off Borkum The first wind turbine has just been completed It is one of the largest currently on the market The Danish company Vestas has installed the first wind turbine at the He Dreiht – wind farm: He turns – the first V236-15.0 MW wind turbine installed at the wind farm, as announced by Vestas and the operator EnBW He Dreiht is the first wind farm in which Vestas has installed the 15 megawatt turbines The Vestas V236-15.0 MW wind turbine has a rotor with a diameter of 236 meters and a swept area of more than 43,000 square meters It delivers a maximum output of 15 megawatts Such a plant is expected to generate up to 80 gigawatt hours per year a three-person household in Germany consumes 4.5 megawatt hours a year He Dreiht is being built around 85 kilometers northwest of Borkum and around 110 kilometers west of Helgoland there will be 64 wind turbines of this type The foundations were already built last year The wind turbines are all due to be installed within a year They will be delivered by ship from the port city of Esbjerg on the Danish west coast The internal cabling of the wind farm is being carried out in parallel with the construction of the wind turbines The total output of He Dreiht will be 960 megawatts the wind turbines can produce enough electricity to supply 1.1 million households This will make He Dreiht the largest German offshore wind farm on completion – until Nordlicht I goes into operation with an installed capacity of 980 megawatts Larger wind turbines deliver a higher output This means that more electricity can be generated with fewer turbines in a wind farm The Vestas V236-15.0 MW wind turbine is one of the largest currently on the market and in commercial use Only the MySE 16.0-260 from the Chinese company Mingyang which delivers a maximum output of 16 megawatts It is being built at the Østerild test site on the north coast of the Danish mainland And that's not the end of the story either: Mingyang Smart Energy is building a wind turbine with a capacity of 22 megawatts Shanghai Electric and China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) announced one with 26 megawatts last fall and Dongfang Electric one with 26 megawatts as well FREDERICIA, Denmark — Seaway7’s jackup vessel Seaway Ventus installed the first turbine at the Borkum Riffgrund 3 wind farm Cadeler’s Wind Osprey will also join the installation program which covers 83 Siemens Gamesa wind turbines the Ørsted/Nuveen Infrastructure Borkum Riffgrund 3 development will have an overall capacity of 913 MW the largest for any wind farm offshore Germany to date It follows close on first power from the 253-MW offshore Gode Wind 3 project which the same partnership is constructing This and Borkum Riffgrund 3 will almost double Ørsted’s total installed capacity in Germany Operation and maintenance will be handled from Norden-Norddeich and Emden in East Frisia Currently Ørsted has about 7.6 GW of offshore wind capacity under construction across three continents including the 2.8-GW Hornsea 3 in the UK southern North Sea In May the first foundation was set down at the company’s 704-MW Revolution Wind development off the US East Coast Seaway7 is also installing monopile foundations and transition pieces for the Dogger Bank B development in the UK southern North Sea using the vessels Seaway Strashnov and Seaway Alfa Lift Previously the company completed installation of the foundations for the first phase of the project The German island of Borkum has long celebrated the Klaasohm festival, a tradition rooted in pagan customs. However, following allegations of assault and a revealing television exposé the annual event—where men chased women with cow horns and administered spankings—has been cancelled The Borkum Lads Club, organisers of the festival since the 1830s, issued an apology for "historical actions of past years" and affirmed their commitment to eliminating "any form of violence against women," according to DW all native to Borkum with at least one island-born parent would don woollen costumes to embody the "Klaasohm" figure Accompanied by a man dressed as a milkmaid referred to as "catchers," assisted by restraining the women until the Klaasohms arrived to administer the beatings This ritual dates back to the 17th and 18th centuries when fishermen, returning from prolonged voyages, would reassert their dominance over the island in a symbolic display of power. Despite its historical roots, the tradition has faced increasing criticism for its violent nature A post shared by instagram Public backlash intensified after a documentary by the ARD magazine "Panorama" unveiled aggressive assaults on women during the festival Some women reported enduring beatings so severe that they suffered bruises lasting several days "I really cried and was angry at myself for going along with it." Another woman described resisting three men attempting to drag her into a van only to be labelled "mentally ill" for defending herself These incidents were detailed in the documentary The exposé prompted officials from Lower Saxony to intervene. Christine Arbogast, a state secretary in the Ministry of Social Affairs, stated, "Anyone who wants to be spanked with a horn is allowed to do so, but those who don't must be respected," as cited in DW's report dismissed the documentary as "dubious" and defended the festival as a community tradition celebrated by people of all ages the Borkum Lads Club acknowledged the gravity of the accusations stating they would reframe the event to eliminate violence The festival will continue in a reimagined format that omits any form of violence The shift marks a significant change in preserving cultural traditions while aligning with contemporary values of respect and safety While some residents mourn the loss of a centuries-old tradition others welcome the change as a step toward ensuring respect and dignity for all participants CS WIND Offshore has completed the fabrication of the last monopile foundation for the Borkum Riffgrund 3 offshore wind farm in Germany and has marked the milestone with its loadout CS WIND Offshore, which acquired Denmark’s Bladt Industries in 2023 has manufactured 40 XXL wind turbine foundations for the 913 MW Borkum Riffgrund 3 which will become Germany’s largest offshore wind farm once operational Bladt Industries and Steelwind Nordenham signed monopile foundation supply contracts with Ørsted for the Gode Wind 3 and Borkum Riffgrund 3 offshore wind farms in Germany Borkum Riffgrund 3 is being built simultaneously with the 253 MW Gode Wind 3, which already delivered its first power in May this year The monopile installation work, which began last year on both projects the first Siemens Gamesa SG 11.0-200 DD wind turbine was placed on top of the monopile at the Borkum Riffgrund 3 project jointly owned by Ørsted and Nuveen Infrastructure Ørsted won the rights to develop Borkum Riffgrund 3 at the German auction held in 2018 by bidding EUR 0 making it the world’s first large-scale offshore wind farm to be awarded with a zero bid the offshore wind farm is expected to supply clean energy to 900,000 households Get in front of your target audience in one move OffshoreWIND.biz is read by thousands of offshore wind professionals daily The 900 MW Borkum Riffgrund 3 offshore wind farm in Germany will be commissioned in the first quarter of 2026 instead of the initially planned fourth quarter of 2025 due to a delay in the grid connection construction The cause of the grid connection delay can be traced back to 2020/2021 and the challenges in the supply chain during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic According to information that Borkum Riffgrund 3 developer the installation of the grid connection “has been delayed by the German TSO” so the expected commercial operation date (COD) of the offshore wind farm was moved from Q4 2025 to Q1 2026 Ørsted also says the company is being compensated for the postponement Borkum Riffgrund 3 will be linked to the DolWin5 offshore grid connection system which TenneT is building in the North Sea TenneT announced that the completion of the DolWin5 grid connection is expected to be delayed until 15 December 2025 DolWin epsilon is expected to be transported to the North Sea and installed there in the second quarter of 2025 after which the final connection work and tests for commissioning can take place so that the first feed-in will be possible from autumn 2025 at the earliest” a TenneT spokesperson said in an email statement to offshoreWIND.biz the COVID-19 pandemic impacted steel and welding work on the DolWin epsilon offshore platform in Singapore which started at the end of 2020 and saw significant disruptions as of the summer of 2021 as foreign skilled workers were unable to enter Singapore at all or were able to work only to a very limited extent Despite personnel and organisational measures this affected the planned completion and installation timeline for the offshore platform The DolWin epsilon offshore converter platform was completed last year and left Seatrium’s shipyard in Singapore in October 2023 The 900 MW DolWin5 offshore grid connection project uses extra-high voltage direct current transmission technology The three-phase alternating current (AC) generated by the offshore wind farm is converted into direct current (DC) at DolWin epsilon and transported south to Hamswehrum near the river Ems in East Frisia via a 100-kilometre-long subsea cable a 30-kilometre-long onshore cable leads to the converter station in Emden/East where the DC is converted back into three-phase AC and fed into the extra-high voltage grid on land with all foundations and 85 per cent of the wind turbines installed The developer expects the offshore installation work to be completed before the end of this year Borkum Riffgrund 3 is being built simultaneously with the 253 MW Gode Wind 3, which already delivered its first power in May this year the construction has been completed and the final wind turbines are now undergoing the 240-hour test before the wind farm is fully commissioned NOTE: The original article was updated on 6 December with information about the cause of the grid connection delay received from TenneT renewable energy is key to the future of our planet we have over 60 years’ experience and an in-depth understanding of the power and temperature control needs of wind farms We have a dedicated Wind Energy Team whose innovative strategies […] The first Siemens Gamesa SG 11.0-200 DD wind turbine has been installed at the 913 MW Borkum Riffgrund 3 offshore wind farm in Germany Located approximately 72 kilometres off the coast of Lower Saxony, the Borkum Riffgrund 3 offshore wind farm will feature a total of 83 Siemens Gamesa wind turbines The project’s first wind turbine was installed by Seaway7’s newbuild Seaway Ventus. The installation will also be carried out in equal parts by Wind Osprey from Cadeler Borkum Riffgrund 3 is jointly owned by Ørsted and Nuveen Infrastructure This milestone for Borkum Riffgrund 3 follows shortly after the delivery of the first power from the 253 MW Gode Wind 3 offshore wind farm which Ørsted and Nuveen Infrastructure are building simultaneously with Borkum Riffgrund 3 “Borkum Riffgrund 3 is an icebreaker in offshore wind It was the first offshore wind project in the world to be awarded on a merchant basis and it’s the first offshore wind farm in Germany to break the 900 MW-mark I’m proud to see that the first turbine is now installed and we look forward to completing this milestone project,” said Peter Obling Both Gode Wind 3 and Borkum Riffgrund 3 sites are located close to Ørsted’s operational offshore wind farms The two additional wind farms will almost double Ørsted’s installed offshore wind capacity in Germany to approx In the German offshore wind auctions in 2017 and 2018 Ørsted was awarded the rights to build Borkum Riffgrund 3 with bids of EUR 0 per MWh – a first for offshore wind “We have been developing and building Borkum Riffgrund 3 since winning the auction in 2017 and 2018 Achieving the first installed wind turbine is a great success for the project and a proud moment for the entire team Our full focus is now on continuing to complete the project safely and on schedule in its final stages so that we can hand over the wind farm to operations in 2025,” said Felix Gschnell Programme Director for Borkum Riffgrund 3 and Gode Wind 3 By 2024-10-14T07:30:00+01:00 CS Wind Offshore has manufactured 40 XXL wind turbine generator (WTG) monopile foundations for the Borkum Riffgrund 3 offshore wind farm Source: CS Wind Borkum Riffgrund 3 will become Germany’s largest offshore wind farm Borkum Riffgrund 3 encompasses Borkum Riffgrund West 1 (420 MW) Borkum Riffgrund West 2 (240 MW) and Northern Energy OWP West (240 MW) wind farms CS Wind Offshore has been working on this project alongside Danish energy firm Ørsted DEME has been awarded a contract to construct an offshore wind terminal at the port of Cuxhaven in Germany Polska Grupa Energetyczna (PGE) and Ørsted have signed a lease agreement for the future T5 terminal in the port of Gdansk. It will be used for the storage pre-assembly and offshore installation of turbine components for the Baltica 2 project Ørsted has delayed commissioning of its 704 MW Revolution Wind offshore wind farm from 2025 to 2026 Shipyard and construction company Ravestein is delivering a ro-ro pontoon for Peel Ports Group in the UK Mexico’s Tradelossa recently completed a complex heavy haul operation for an important energy sector development in the north of the country Jan De Nul started the monopile foundation installation campaign for RWE’s Thor offshore wind farm Heavy lift vessel Les Alizés has installed the first of 72 monopiles for Denmark’s largest wind farm to date Site powered by Webvision Cloud Commissioning of the ocean-going tug "Borkum" 1 Oct 2024 | Headlines, News, Security policy | 0 Kommentare The magazine MarineForum is published ten times a year The publication of the Naval Officers' Association (MOV) is published by the German Maritime Institute (DMI) non-partisan and is neither directly nor indirectly supported by ministries or other German authorities This independence gives the magazine the character of a forum in which contradictory opinions are also discussed 1 Oct 2024 | 0 Kommentare ICC germany publishes the current situation of maritime piracy: Significant increase in crime in the first quarter The number of incidents worldwide .. and website in this browser for the next time I comment A brand from German Maritime Institute (DMI) e.V. Naval Officers' Association (MOV) e.V.Jadeallee 102, 26382 Wilhelmshaven E-mail: [email protected] Media data Imprint Data protection Contact us a group of masked men chase women through the streets of Borkum and beat them with cow horns The "Klaasohm tradition" remained hidden from the public for a long time a festival is celebrated every year on December 5 that is not all cheerful tones: Klaasohm masked men chase women and beat them with a cow horn The ritual, which was kept secret from outsiders, has now caused widespread horror. The ARD magazine Panorama recently published a report showing the scenes of this bizarre "Santa Claus custom" women report anonymously on aggressive assaults to which they felt at the mercy of Some were in pain for days after the beatings The problematic nature of the festival is rarely discussed openly on the island, which has a population of around 5,000. According to research by NDR the organizer - the Borkumer Jungens von 1830 association - expressly calls on its members to maintain secrecy neither the association nor the mayor of Borkum wanted to comment publicly at first this was followed by a wave of outrage in Germany which triggered a rethink among those responsible Lower Saxony's State Secretary in the Ministry of Social Affairs made it clear: "Customs and traditions are always very important But it is clear that everything comes to an end where women feel unsafe and are afraid of corporal punishment." She emphasized that no one has to stay at home out of fear: "Anyone who wants to be spanked with a horn is allowed to do so But anyone who doesn't want to must also be respected." The Borkum Boys' Association is now trying to calm the criticism they admitted that beating with cow horns used to be part of the tradition "and in individual cases in recent years" the association "expressly distanced itself from any form of violence against women" and apologized for the "historically grown actions of past years" they want to completely abolish the beating and make the festival more transparent in order to clear up misunderstandings "We understand the criticism of the scenes shown in the report and feel obliged to bring about further changes," the statement reads He criticized the Panorama magazine report as "tendentious and dubious" this opinion is also shared by many residents of the island He emphasized that the festival on Borkum is celebrated by women the positive voices don't get a say in the report," the mayor lamented The Leer/Emden police station, which is responsible for security on Borkum, has also spoken out. In a message on Facebook it states that no form of violence will be tolerated If the police become aware of any assaults the current media coverage will be included in the "police assessment of the situation" The police will accompany this year's "Klaasohm" with numerous officers "We are taking a zero-tolerance approach," emphasized a spokesperson A concept is currently being developed to prevent any form of violence at the event on the night of December 6 it is said that the Klaasohm custom goes back to the time of the whalers the men returned at the end of the year and used this ritual to mark their return and male dominance they made it clear that they - and not the women - were back in charge on the island those responsible are promising changes - at the very least the beating with cow horns will be abolished It remains to be seen whether the announced transparency will actually find its way into the long-established festival The Netherlands' top court has issued an order requiring an offshore operator to pause drilling at a site off the coast of Borkum following a lawsuit filed by European environmental groups It is the second time that the court has ordered a halt on the controversial project.  Greenpeace Netherlands and German NGO Deutsche Umwelthilfe filed a petition with the District Court of the Hague asking for an order to halt installation of the Prospector 1 drilling platform at a gas field off Borkum 21 Greenpeace activists occupied the platform to protest the offshore operations of energy firm ONE-Dyas.  The District Court ordered a halt to the project more than one year ago and requested a more thorough environmental review the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate issued a revised permit on May 29 and ONE-Dyas was briefly able to resume work - until the court ordered it to halt again.  "Fossil fuel companies are planning several new gas projects across Europe The science is clear: there’s no room for new oil and gas extraction if the world is to stay well below 1.5 degrees Every fraction of a degree of warming spells more extreme weather and more sea level rise impacting millions of people," said Greenpeace spokesperson Mira Jager in a statement.  The court will hold an additional hearing and issue a final ruling on the NGOs' requests next week.  The offshore project is locally controversial The well site is close to the maritime boundary with the German state of Lower Saxony and German officials told NDR that they believe that the well site is "not approvable" in its current form; it is located just outside of their jurisdiction Photos and videos available from the Greenpeace Media Library Combined action by Greenpeace activists’ 8 hours of occupation of an offshore gas rig and a court proceeding has had success The Dutch Council of State has ruled that ONE-Dyas must suspend its planned activity from the platform in the North Sea.[1] Greenpeace Netherlands and others had requested an interim measure demanding that ONE-Dyas’ activities be suspended the court announced that the company has to halt the installation of the drilling platform at least until a hearing on this has been held on June 12 The 21 Greenpeace activists have therefore ended their protest on the Prospector 1 gas drilling platform.[2] said: “Today’s events show that people power works Whether it is occupying a gas rig or challenging it in court we are standing up to the fossil fuel industry As floods and heatwaves devastate people’s homes and claim lives locally and globally fossil fuel companies are planning several new gas projects across Europe The science is clear: there’s no room for new oil and gas extraction Every fraction of a degree of warming spells more extreme weather and more sea level rise impacting millions of people and other living creatures We call on the EU and its member states to ban new fossil fuel infrastructure projects across Europe It is a matter of safety and a matter of justice for present and future generations.”[3][4] [1] Borkum, Germany, 4 June 2024 – Greenpeace activists occupy a fossil gas drilling platform between Germany and the Netherlands [2] Read the court order from the Dutch Council of State (in Dutch) [3] In an open letter to the European Union and its member states Greenpeace demands a ban on all new fossil fuel projects for a safe future [4] “No new oil, gas or coal development if world is to reach net zero by 2050, says world energy body” Greenpeace Germany: Sonka Terfehr, press officer, [email protected] Greenpeace Netherlands: Laura Polderman, press officer, [email protected] Fossil-free future European campaign: Manon Laudy, press officer, [email protected] Greenpeace International Press Desk: [email protected], +31 (0) 20 718 2470 (available 24 hours). Follow @greenpeacepress for our latest international press releases Whether you live in Manila or in Los Angeles you’re already feeling the impacts of the climate crisis Scientific studies confirm Big Oil’s greenhouse gas emissions makes catastrophes significantly more likely to occur As governments and communities around the world face growing costs from devastating climate impacts there’s a looming elephant in the room: The billionaire-polluter class has never had it so good and droughts are hitting us more frequently and with greater intensity around the world the costs of the climate crisis are going up significantly Bold taxes or fines on oil and gas corporations would help to raise vital revenues Please select which cookies you are willing to store These cookies are required for technical reasons so that you can visit our website and use the functions we offer These cookies are used to recognise you between successive visits and thus provide you with a better experience storing 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able to quickly familiarise yourself with the culture and customs can help ease the transition during a challenging time This is why Euro Weekly News makes it our mission to provide you with a free news resource in English that covers both regional and national Spanish news – anything that we feel you will benefit from knowing as you integrate into your new community and live your best life in Spain you can forget about translating articles from Spanish into awkward English that probably don’t make much sense Let us be your convenient and essential guide to all things that will likely affect you as a foreign resident living in Spain German island banned from spanking women on the bum with cow horns spanking women on the buttocks with a cow horn to celebrate Saint Nicholas is facing the axe – leaving the nation divided The Klaasohm festival on the North Sea island of Borkum long a staple of local Saint Nicholas celebrations has been thrust into the spotlight following a damning report by German broadcaster NDR While most Germans celebrate Saint Nicholas Day by leaving their shoes out for a treat-filled morning surprise Borkum’s residents have taken the festivities to an entirely different level It involves spanking women on the buttocks with cow horns and jumping into crowds dressed as a flying cow The jumping into crowds part is fine according to regulators young men have dressed as “Klaasohms” and roamed the island to strike women on the buttocks during the night-time celebrations Daytime events see participants in elaborate costumes of sheepskin and bird feathers engaging in harmless community wrestling matches Secretly filmed footage by NDR shows men chasing women and hitting them as bystanders – including children – cheer on women who participated in the festival spoke of their childhood excitement for what they were told was a harmless game of hide-and-seek only to discover the reality was far more painful Many were left bruised and unable to sit comfortably for days One former male islander revealed that criticising the festival publicly invites backlash you’re accused of disrespecting tradition or bowing to outsiders’ opinions,” he explained brush it off as ‘harmless fun.’ Yet the reality of some women being left in physical pain has sparked outrage across Germany organisers of the event have historically discouraged social media coverage to avoid exposing the identities of the costumed Klaasohms the recent exposé has forced authorities to respond released a statement apologising for the violent elements of the festival’s history acknowledging it was “controversial by today’s standards.” They vowed to focus on “solidarity among islanders” and leave the violent rituals in the past Local police have adopted a zero-tolerance approach to violence promising stricter enforcement in future celebrations The NDR report has drawn comparisons to Austria’s Krampus traditions where costumed participants historically whipped spectators Austrian organisers have reined in the chaos introducing safety measures and discouraging physical harm But not everyone on Borkum agrees with the changes A protest of 150 to 200 women rallied for the preservation of the controversial festival arguing that the tradition is part of the island’s cultural fabric Borkum’s Klaasohm festival teeters on the brink of transformation Whether fans of the festival can retain the spirit of their beloved tradition without smacking people with cow horns remains to be seen the cow horn’s reign as an instrument of festive cheer appears to be coming to an end Will this be the year Borkum leaves its spanking scandal behind Find more news in English from around Germany Read more news from around Europe Subscribe to our Euro Weekly News alerts to get the latest stories into your inbox When I was young a battered bottom was probably a sign of a good night out 🙂 Seriously I would have thought that those who don´t want a bruised bum would just stay indoors Why spoil something that´s been fun for so long Euro Weekly News is the leading English language newspaper in Spain by delivering news with a social conscience we are proud to be the voice for the expat communities who now call Spain home With around half a million print readers a week and over 1.5 million web views per month EWN has the biggest readership of any English language newspaper in Spain The paper prints over 150 news stories a week with many hundreds more on the web – no one else even comes close Our publication has won numerous awards over the last 25 years including Best Free Newspaper of the Year (Premios AEEPP) Company of the Year (Costa del Sol Business Awards) and Collaboration with Foreigners honours (Mijas Town Hall) All of this comes at ZERO cost to our readers All our print and online content always has been and always will be FREE OF CHARGE Download our media pack in either English or Spanish women are beaten with cow horns on December 5 The beating is considered a custom for the "Klaasohm" festival The intention was to keep the controversial event low profile but recent reports have thrown a spanner in the works "Klaasohm" is derived from the words Ohm (uncle) and Klaas (Klaus) The hustle and bustle that takes place on Borkum every year on December 5 - like Krampus Day in Austria - is reminiscent of the Perchten in this country Young men dress up as mythical creatures with masks and furs They carry cow horns with them and hunt women with them Not all of the island's inhabitants find this "funny" In reports by ARD and Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) women have spoken out about hematomas and severe pain A man who himself was beaten as a klaasohm around ten years ago also speaks out It was "like a rush" and he was "the greatest that evening" Klaasohm: "The girls were limping"The next day "you were proud when you saw the girls and they were limping." According to reports the controversial tradition dates back to the time of whaling When the men returned home after months at sea they are said to have shown their wives who was in charge of the house again the association only accepts men and has requested that no videos of the event be shared on social media "In order for Klaasohm to remain the highest holiday and identity-forming festival for the people of Borkum the level of awareness must be kept low," the Borkum association stated back in 1830 the latest German media reports mean that this is no longer possible Here you can see a post by journalist Jan-Henrik Wiebe on Klaasohm Demonstration for preservationThese triggered both indignation and adherence to Klaasohm around 200 women demonstrated for the preservation of the custom Some women were advised to simply stay at home on December 5 if they did not want to take any risks The non-party mayor Jürgen Akkermann also does not understand the uproar Only "individual people" are guilty of misconduct but the island as a whole does not tolerate violence men and children should celebrate together on the streets as well as in pubs and houses On no day of the year should women stay at home for fear of being beaten up and not dare to go out on the streets Association apologizedLower Saxony's State Secretary in the Ministry of Social Affairs said: "On no day of the year should it be the case that women stay at home for fear of being beaten up and don't dare go out on the street." There was also a lot of criticism online "Here it becomes clear why we still need a clear stance against sexism Why feminism is important," wrote one user on the platform X The "Inselsturm collective" has called for people to travel to Borkum today to protest against "patriarchal violence and for a society based on solidarity" The Borkumer Jungens association apologized a few days ago and declared that it would distance itself from "any form of violence against women" "We as a community have clearly decided to leave this aspect of the tradition behind us and continue to focus on what the festival is really about: the cohesion of the islanders," it said.Here you can see a statement from the association and a plan from the island The Borkum police have announced that they will be on duty at Klaasohm with a large number of officers bodily harm is only time-barred after 20 to 30 years The police on the North Sea island are also currently being criticized How could public violence against women not be noticed for years Only 5,000 people live on the island in Lower Saxony This article has been automatically translated,read the original article here Willkommen in unserer Community! 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Hier können Sie das Community-Team via unserer Melde- und Abhilfestelle kontaktieren In Kürze bekommen Sie eine Bestätigungs-Mail von uns The cargo ship Borkum is docked in the port of Koperin Slovenia Despite appeals from the Social Initiative Movement for Palestinian Rights aimed at denying the ship access to the port on the grounds that it was suspected of carrying weapons for Israel the Ministry of Infrastructure in Ljubljana decided to allow its entry as the vessel meets the conditions for docking According to information from the Slovenian government the cargo is in fact destined for the Czech Republic and not for Israel The ship Borkum had already changed course in mid-May and had not stopped Cartagena due to requests for investigations into the transported material Before entering the port of KoperAccording to the local press protesters gathered in front of the Municipality of Koper and the city's port to express their disagreement with the fact that Slovenia participates logistically in the arming of Israel Read also other news on Nova News Click here and receive updates on WhatsApp Follow us on the social channels of Nova News on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Telegram to be developed in the German waters of the North Sea The 900MW Borkum Riffgrund 3 offshore wind farm is proposed to be developed by Danish energy company Ørsted The offshore wind project was approved by the German Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) in October 2021 The final investment decision is expected by the end of 2021 while the wind farm is expected to become operational in 2025 Ørsted signed an agreement to divest 50% of its ownership in Borkum Riffgrund 3 to UK-based fund manager Glennmont Partners for kr9bn ($1.41bn) in October 2021 The project cost includes the acquisition price and funding component The transaction is subject to approvals and the final investment decision (FID) on the project Ørsted will be responsible for developing the project under an engineering procurement and construction (EPC) contract according to the terms of the agreement it will be responsible for operations and maintenance for 20 years Borkum Riffgrund 3 is a combination of three offshore wind projects Borkum Riffgrund West 2 (240MW) and OWP West (240MW) Ørsted secured the right to build the three wind farms in German offshore wind auctions held between 2017 and 2018 The company clubbed the three offshore wind projects into one and renamed the project Borkum Riffgrund 3 in September 2019 The Borkum Riffgrund 3 offshore wind farm will be located in the German waters of the North Sea, off the coast of Lower Saxony. It will be constructed near Ørsted’s existing Borkum Riffgrund 1 and Borkum Riffgrund 2 wind farms Borkum Riffgrund 3 will be equipped with 83 Siemens SG 11.0-200 DD offshore wind turbines which are based on direct drive technology Each turbine will have a nominal output of 11MW and feature 97m-long blades with a swept area of 31,400m² (337,986ft²) Each monopile for the Borkum Riffgrund 3 offshore wind farm will have a length of up to 100m The monopile foundations will be installed at water depths between 28m and 34m A ten-year corporate power purchase agreement (CPPA) was signed with Covestro a high-performance polymer materials supplier based in Germany in December 2019 for the off-take of 100MW of the output from the Borkum Riffgrund 3 wind farm Ørsted signed another CPPA with Amazon to supply 250MW for ten years in December 2020 which is the biggest PPA ever for offshore wind in Europe will support Amazon’s target of using 100% renewable power by 2030 German food retailer REWE Group signed a ten-year agreement to purchase 100MW of power from the offshore wind farm in September 2021 The power generated from the project will be transferred to the grid by the DolWin epsilon offshore converter platform The 900MW DolWin5 high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission system will link the turbines to the DolWin epsilon converter platform using a 66kV connection to transmit three-phase alternating current (AC) The direct connection between the wind farm and offshore platform will eliminate the need for substations The three-phase AC power will be converted into direct current (DC) at the DolWin epsilon platform and transported over 100km through a submarine cable to the landing point in Hamswehrum A 30km-long land cable will provide the connection between Hamswehrum and the converter station in Emden The electricity will be converted back into three-phase AC before being fed into the extra-high-voltage grid The converter platform will provide accommodation for 50 people and include a helicopter landing pad The commissioning of the grid connection system is expected in 2024 Ørsted led the financing package for the project The debt facilities will be provided by eight banks Ørsted signed contracts with Bladt Industries and Steelwind Nordenham in September 2021 for the supply of 107 monopile foundations for Borkum Riffgrund 3 and Gode Wind 3 a 242MW offshore wind farm being developed in the German North Sea by Ørsted Steelwind Nordenham is responsible for the supply of 66 monopiles while Bladt Industries will provide 41 monopiles Jan De Nul Group was contracted to transport and install monopile foundations and an offshore substation topside at the Ørsted Borkum Riffgrund 3 and Gode Wind 3 projects Safety science and service provider for the renewables industry UL was awarded a contract to certify turbines and foundations for the project in July 2021 Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy was selected as the preferred turbine supplier for the project in March 2020 The preferred supplier award also included a service and maintenance agreement for five years Offshore wind energy services company Seaway 7 was named the preferred contractor for the transport and installation of wind turbine generators for the Gode Wind 3 and Borkum Riffgrund 3 wind farms in October 2021 The company will perform the installation using its jack-up installation vessel VIND1 The DolWin epsilon offshore platform is being developed by TenneT, a European transmission system operator TenneT selected the consortium of Aibel and Keppel FELS for the offshore grid connection in May 2019 Keppel FELS is responsible for the manufacture of the DolWin epsilon offshore platform steel structure at its shipyard in Singapore Aibel will install DolWin epsilon with the converter and transformers at Haugesund following the completion of the construction Hitachi ABB was subcontracted by the consortium to supply the extra-high voltage DC technology to minimise power losses during transmission Prysmian Group received a contract to supply install and commission a HVDC 320kV cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE)-insulated submarine and land power cable connection as well as the associated fibre optic cable system for the Dolwin5 project The emergency gensets for the DolWin epsilon converter platform will be provided by mtu a power products and solutions brand of Rolls-Royce German law firm Hengeler Mueller provided advisory services to Ørsted for the stake sale and its financing Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network 19 Sep 2024 | 0 Kommentare A brand from German Maritime Institute (DMI) e.V. Naval Officers' Association (MOV) e.V.Jadeallee 102, 26382 Wilhelmshaven E-mail: [email protected] Long before “pivot” became a silver-lining buzzword, Tracy Borkum made a career out of it For instance, the Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla recently spent $105 million and tapped one of the top architects in the country to recast its iconic building into an ocean-facing art compound And Borkum—a San Diego restaurateur who years ago got her BA in art history from UC Berkeley—became a big part of it It was a dream, really: a merger of what she loved and studied (art) and what she made her name doing (restaurants). She and her chef-partner Tim Kolanko created an outdoor dining concept around the edge of the museum called The Kitchen and now it’s been raining for three weeks,” Borkum says Borkum has adapted, dealt with things, rethought, reconfigured so many times. She started with Kensington Grill in the ’90s, a charming-as-heck bistro (she still has the space; it’s now Cucina Sorella) where Troy served briefly as the world’s worst bartender (a story he tells over and over When she took over beloved Bankers Hill eatery Laurel selling the furniture on the street outside the building “We got in a bunch of trouble with the city,” says Borkum ‘What are you doing?’ We said we were having a garage sale This was 2009. The economy was still reeling, so she pivoted to a rustic Italian concept—Cucina Urbana—where everything was under $20 when she couldn’t afford to purchase furniture for a new restaurant of hers she convinced a local furniture store to use the space as a showroom Recently, she and Kolanko have been shifting into non-traditional restaurant and catering spaces. They opened a kiosk at the Rady Shell the now-epochal $98 million outdoor music venue that looks like a giant and it’s like 8,000 19-year-olds,” says Kolanko who made his name as the chef de cuisine of A.R Borkum and Kolanko recently opened a modern Jewish delicatessen, Gold Finch and are working on finalizing their next prix-fixe dining concept—in the center of MCASD with two entire walls made of glass overlooking the Pacific They join Troy and David this week to share stories from frontlines of a radically shifting restaurant culture Troy Johnson is the magazine’s award-winning food writer and humorist and a long-standing expert on Food Network a textbook of the best American food writing The home for San Diego Mag's award-winning podcasts featuring conversations with the city’s top movers and shakers Email: [email protected] By clicking Subscribe you’re confirming that you agree with our Terms and Conditions Email: [email protected] © Copyright 2023 San Diego Magazine 1230 Columbia Street DONG Energy has entered into an agreement to sell 50% of the 450MW Borkum Riffgrund 2 offshore wind farm project to Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) for a total consideration of approximately EUR 1.17 billion Borkum Riffgrund 2 is currently under construction in the German North Sea and is expected to be fully commissioned in 2019 payable over a period from 2017 until 2019 includes the purchase price for GIP for its acquisition of 50% of the project and its commitment to fund 50% of the payments under a full-scope EPC – engineering GIP is also the 50% partner in another of DONG Energy’s offshore wind farm in Germany The transaction is subject to approval by the competition authorities and is expected to be completed before the end of 2017 “We’re pleased to be able to build on the partnership we established with GIP in relation to Gode Wind 1 in 2015 That partnership has been a success for all parties and we’re committed to ensuring a similar success in relation to Borkum Riffgrund 2,” said Samuel Leupold Executive Vice President and CEO of Wind Power at DONG Energy DONG Energy will construct the wind farm under a full-scope EPC agreement DONG Energy will also provide long-term operations and maintenance services from its O&M base in Norddeich and provide a route to market for the power production from GIP’s 50% share of Borkum Riffgrund 2 Having entered into the agreement with GIP to divest 50% of Borkum Riffgrund 2 DONG Energy increases its EBITDA guidance for 2017 the company expects EBITDA of DKK 17-19 billion (EUR 2.3 – 2.6 billion) The company’s expected gross investments remain unchanged at DKK 18-20bn Borkum Riffgrund 2 is located within the German Exclusive Economic Zone approximately 17 kilometres east of the border between Germany and the Netherlands and some 34km north of the island of Borkum The wind farm will consist of 56 MHI Vestas 8MW turbines The wind farm will be powered by 83 Siemens Gamesa 11MW turbines Danish energy company Ørsted and clean energy investment fund manager Glennmont Partners have begun installation work on the 913MW Borkum Riffgrund 3 offshore wind project in the German North Sea Jan De Nul will install 100m steel monopile foundations weighing 1,500 tonnes These structures will support 83 Siemens Gamesa 11.0-200 DD offshore wind turbines Each turbine has a 200m rotor diameter and 11MW of power generating capacity They will be among the largest turbines deployed in the German North Sea the project will be Germany’s largest wind farm by export capacity It will be located next to Ørsted’s Borkum Riffgrund 1 and 2 offshore wind farms Borkum Riffgrund 3 will generate power for a million German homes and avoid 2.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually The project is expected to be commissioned in 2025 Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis Ørsted reached an agreement with Glennmont Partners to sell a 50% stake in Borkum Riffgrund 3 in October 2021 for €1.2bn ($1.34bn) The agreement was followed by the final investment decision on the project in December of the same year The stake’s sale was completed in February 2022 The wind farm is being built by Ørsted via a full-scope engineering The company will also operate and maintain the project for 20 years Glennmont Partners CEO and managing partner Joost Bergsma stated: “The Borkum Riffgrund 3 offshore wind farm is a landmark development both for Glennmont and for North Sea renewables more widely “It marks an attractive proposition for investors and will be a significant step in meeting Europe’s decarbonisation and energy security ambitions.” Borkum Riffgrund 2 is an offshore wind farm being developed 54km off the coast of Lower Saxony in the North Sea Global Infrastructure Partners (50%) and Orsted (50%) Borkum Riffgrund 2 is an offshore wind farm being developed 54km off the coast of Lower Saxony in the North Sea, Germany. The project will be located next to the existing Borkum Riffgrund 1 wind farm Borkum Riffgrund 2 is jointly owned by Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP – 50%) and Orsted (formerly DONG Energy – 50%) The final investment decision for the wind farm was taken in June 2016 while commissioning is expected in the first half of 2019 The offshore wind farm is expected to be operated from DONG Energy’s base in Norddeich It will have a total capacity of 450MW and produce sufficient electricity to power approximately 460,000 German households a year The wind farm will be installed with 56 V164-8.0 MW MHI Vestas wind turbines with a capacity of 8MW each weigh 35t and have a total swept area of 21,124m² The 390t nacelle of the turbine is 20m long The turbines have a hub height of 105m and tip height of 187m while they are planned to be installed on suction bucket jackets The offshore wind farm will also include a high-voltage AC transformer substation which will step up the electricity generated and transfer it onshore The substation will have a total capacity of 450MW and include a platform with topsides measuring 25m x 40m x 20m and weighing 2,500t including a cellar deck for cable pulling and cable hang-off The substation platform will be supported by a four-legged lattice jacket measuring 30m x 30m x 55m and weighing 1,700t It will be installed on a foundation consisting of 18 piles The substation will be installed with a dehumidification system ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) control systems It will have a lifespan of 25 years and be made of high-quality materials The Borkum Riffgrund 2 wind farm substation will collect and export the high-voltage current generated to the DolWin alpha HVDC converter platform through 30km cables DolWin will deliver the power onshore through an 83km subsea cable to the converter station located in Dörpen / West in Lower Saxony and connected to the national power grid A group of institutional investors provided €832m ($1.04bn) in debt financing for the project NN Investment Partners and Wiener Städtische Versicherung MHI Vestas Offshore Wind was contracted to supply the turbines for the project while Fred Olsen Windcarrier has been contracted to transport and install the 56 wind turbines The suction bucket foundations for the turbines are being provided by Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI), while ST³ Offshore was contracted to fabricate the foundations ISC Innovative Engineering carried out the detailed design for the substation of the wind farm procurement and construction contract for the platform while Heinen and Hopman will fabricate and install the platform Siemens Convergence Creators was contracted to supply and maintain the SCADA Network and telecommunication system Other contractors involved in the project are Iv-Oil and Gas The deal will increase Greencoat Renewables’ total installed capacity to 993MW Irish renewable investment firm Greencoat Renewables has agreed to purchase a 50% stake in the 312MW Borkum Riffgrund I offshore wind farm for a €350m ($383m) cash consideration Greencoat Renewables will acquire a 31.5% stake from Kirkbi and 18.5% from William Demant Invest Danish multinational power company Ørsted retains the remaining 50% stake in the Borkum Riffgrund I offshore wind farm Located in Germany’s exclusive economic zone in the North Sea, Borkum Riffgrund I is equipped with 78 SGRE 4.0MW turbines the wind farm will benefit from a fixed-price contract for differences (CfD) it will have benefits from a government-backed floor price for the power sold until May 2035 Completion of the deal is expected to take place later this year subject to regulatory clearance maintenance and management services for the wind farm Greencoat Renewables Investment manager Bertrand Gautier said: “We are very pleased to enter the continental offshore wind market with a significant strategic stake in Borkum Riffgrund I “This acquisition will contribute to Greencoat Renewables’ strategy to build a diversified portfolio of high-quality renewable electricity generation assets supported by strong contracted cash-flows and will support the company’s further expansion into continental Europe “The acquisition further strengthens Greencoat Renewables’ partnership with Ørsted and positions us well for future acquisitions in the European offshore sector.” In March 2020, Greencoat Renewables agreed to acquire a portfolio of three wind farms in France from John Laing Group for a total consideration of €30.3m AFTER A DISAPPOINTING end to the first stage of VCT Pacific 2024 Team Secret has announced a couple of roster changes in preparation for stage 2 of the tournament In an announcement posted in their social media accounts Team Secret has announced the departure of longtime controller player Jim “BORKUM” Timbreza as well as the benching of rookie Sentinel player Noel “NDG” De Guia BORKUM has been with the team since they were bannering Bren Esports His clutch plays earned him the title “BORKUM Time” while his wacky walk-out during Valorant Champions 2021 made him an immediate international favorite was a promising rookie who was finding his stride during Team Secret’s run in Stage 1 NDG was part of the NAOS Esports squad that won the Philippine leg of the Valorant Challenger 2023 and fought for Ascension in Thailand the team also announced the removal of longtime Team Secret coach Evan “Warbirds” Olzem from his coaching duties Warbirds had been with the team since 2022 just after the announcement of franchising Replacing Warbirds will be assistant coach Tim “dummy” Olson Dummy joined Team Secret in the middle of VCT Stage 1 and had been working with the team for their Stage 1 playoffs run No announcement has been made for the two replacement players Team Secret has announced that James “2GE” Goopio and Bhreyanne “Wild0reoo” Reyes will join the squad for the second stage of the VCT 2GE last played for RRQ in VCT Pacific as their reserved player he last stood-in in Stage 1 when RRQ took on Global Esports Wild0reoo has played for Oasis Gaming since 2021 Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph Spin.ph has been granted the NPC Seal of Registration in recognition of the successful registration of its DPO and DPS We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on Spin.ph. By continued use, you agree to our privacy policy and accept our use of such cookies. Find out more here After hitting another snag due to a court-ordered temporary halt of operations which came only days after all legal challenges seemed to be over a gas project in the North Sea appears to be in limbo as the outcome of the pending court hearing is uncertain given the project’s chequered history with court proceedings The Netherlands-headquartered exploration and production player ONE-Dyas discovered the N05-A gas field in August 2017 about 20 kilometers north of the islands of Borkum disclosing an investment of more than €500 million in the gas project envisioned to run on offshore wind.  Following the green light for the N05-A gas development Bürgerinitiative Saubere Luft Ostfriesland the island community of Borkum and others filed a lawsuit against the decision to approve the project citing climate and biodiversity destruction fears the District Court of the Hague halted the project in April 2023 and annulled the permit in April the following year One-Dyas confirmed that all contracted companies were moving swiftly with the final works in the North Sea to ensure that the first natural gas would be available to households and businesses by the end of 2024 Borr Drilling’s Prospector 1 jack-up rig moved to the site to start drilling operations While the rig is slated to drill its first well in the coming weeks One Dyas plans to set up a wind-powered production platform and extract gas from twelve wells on the Dutch and German continental shelf but the authorization for the wells on the German side is still pending This did not sit well with Greenpeace Netherlands and Deutsche Umwelthilfe which filed a request on May 31 for an interim measure to suspend further activities arguing that the drilling site was near several nature reserves Moreover, environmental organizations also filed another application with the highest Dutch court to stop the construction of the planned platform off the island of Borkum, which HSM Offshore Energy was tasked with building at its yard in Schiedam Given the speed at which things were moving 21 climate activists took matters into their own hands on June 4 to prevent Borr Drilling’s Prospector 1 rig from finishing its preparations to begin its drilling assignment for One-Dyas These activists seek to stop the operator from doing any construction work in the North Sea until the court decides on their appeal about the State Secretary’s decision to allow the project to move forward commented: “Not only would this gas extraction project fuel the climate crisis the Dutch and German ministries are risking a huge amount of destruction for very little gas There’s still time to stop it: our energy security doesn’t depend on it but the climate impact and the destruction of this unique rocky reef would be irreversible.” As part of their efforts to stop the project five Greenpeace activists from Germany and the Netherlands occupied Borr Drilling’s rig displaying messages such as ‘No new gas’ and ‘Gas destroys,’  while calling on the European Union (EU) and its member states to ban new fossil fuel infrastructure projects across Europe “We cannot afford any new fossil fuel extraction projects. Not in the North Sea or anywhere else. If national governments won’t stop the endless greed of fossil fuel companies, it’s time for the EU to take action and ban new fossil fuel infrastructure projects across Europe. It is a matter of safety and a matter of justice for present and future generations,” Jaeger added. This decision states that the Dutch firm has to halt the installation of the drilling platform at least until a hearing on this has been held on June 12 the 21 activists ended their protest and left the Prospector 1 rig in high spirits interpreting the court’s ruling as a climate victory for the time being While the preliminary injunction has temporarily suspended the permit ONE-Dyas secured only days before it is difficult to predict what will happen once a full hearing is held this week The N05-A project’s history with court proceedings adds to the doze of uncertainty currently surrounding the outcome of the pending hearing which may delay the gas project’s development further Should the court allow the activities at the project to resume and reach the production stage the N05-A platform will run entirely on renewable energy from the nearby 113.4 MW Riffgat offshore wind farm Is the end of the North Sea gas project’s legal troubles in sight or will court proceedings beget more hurdles This week’s court hearing may give a good indication of what may lie in wait in the future Greenpeace and other climate activists are determined to increase the pressure on the EU to put its member states on a path away from fossil fuels by banning new fossil fuel projects and investing in an energy system based on renewables and energy sufficiency According to the International Energy Agency (IEA) almost two dollars are invested in clean energy for every dollar going to fossil fuels today with global spending on clean energy technologies and infrastructure on track to hit $2 trillion in 2024 This content is available after accepting the cookies Global investment in renewable power & grids overtook spending on fossil fuels for the first time in 2023 — a sign of the new energy economy that’s emergingBut clean energy investment must grow much faster for the world to reach energy & climate goals ➡️ https://t.co/nMwwY09fek pic.twitter.com/oIm5XXygLx The Pioneers of Offshore Engineering GustoMSC part of NOV’s Marine and Construction business is recognized for providing advanced design & engineering consultancy for mobile offshore units and reliable equipment and technical knowledge into realistic & innovative ideas The performance of new and existing jack-ups The 277MW Borkum Riffgrund 1 offshore wind farm in the North Sea 55km from the north-western coast of Germany is one of the world's biggest offshore wind farms is one of the world’s biggest offshore wind farms The wind farm is operated and maintained by Denmark-based Dong Energy The estimated investment for the offshore power project was €1.25bn (approximately $1.75bn) Dong Energy holds 50% ownership in the Borkum Riffgrund 1 wind farm through its subsidiary William Demant Invest Offshore construction of the wind farm began in 2013 and commercial operations started in October 2015 The wind farm is expected to power approximately 320,000 German households The wind farm occupies an area of 36km² and comprises 78 Siemens 3.6MW three-bladed cantilevered wind turbines with rotor diameters of 120m The turbines have 58.5m-long blades and a swept area of 11,300m² The wind farm features an offshore substation comprising two main transformers The substation platform comprises a topside fixed on an eight legged steel jacket supported by piles were used to hold the offshore wind turbines in place The 34kV power generated by the wind turbines is increased to 155kV by the offshore substation before transmitting it to the DolWin alpha a high-voltage direct current converter station The 155kV AC power is converted into 320kV DC electricity and transported to the Dörpen West Converter station using two high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cables The DC power is again converted into AC power before being supplied to the German 400kV main grid The offshore substation weighs approximately 3,500t and was installed in August 2013 The topside and substation jacket were shipped by Boa Barge 36 vessel The substation structure is supported by eight monopiles A three-fold bubble curtain minimised noise during construction The first monopile foundation for the turbines was laid in January 2014 The initial four foundations and transition pieces were transported to the site using the Pacific Orca vessel from the load out port in Aalborg Each monopile weighs up to 750t and has a diameter of 6m The other major offshore construction works include the laying of submarine export cables and installation of turbines A harbour facility Norddeich, Germany, was used for the construction supervision and further operations and maintenance Siemens was the supplier of the turbines for the Borkum Riffgrund 1 wind farm The contractual scope for Siemens includes the installation and commissioning of the wind turbines along with providing maintenance services for five years A2Sea supplied its offshore installation vessel SEA INSTALLER to install the wind turbines in the sea Combi lift was awarded the contract to transport the transition pieces and monopiles for the turbines Nexans was awarded the contract to supply medium-voltage submarine cables for the wind farm GeoSea was awarded the contract to install the monopile foundations with scour protection for the wind turbines GeoSea transported the foundation structures to the Orange Blue Terminal in Eemshaven and stored them temporarily at the terminal The contract for the detailed design of the topside and jacket for the offshore substation was awarded to ISC Bladt Industries constructed the offshore substation and the jacket The jacket foundation and substation topside installation contract was awarded to Scaldis Salvage Marine Contractors (Scaldis SMC) who subcontracted Volker Staal en Funderingen for the jacket installation ITW Polymers provided the substation grouting while Mercell installed the substation control system Norddeutsche Seekabelwerke was awarded a contract to supply and install 26km of 155kV AC power submarine cable system for connecting the offshore substation to the DolWin alpha converter station Semco Maritime was awarded the contract for the design and installation of electrical and utility systems for the offshore substation Blue Offshore assisted in the installation of the 155kV AC submarine cable systems CT offshore was awarded the contract for the cable installation and inter-array cable burial was engaged to provide grid connection from the offshore substation to the onshore grid The Thailand-based Gulf Energy Development Public Company has acquired a 50% interest in the Borkum Riffgrund 2 offshore wind farm in Germany The company acquired 100% shares of Borkum Riffgrund 2 Investor Holding (BKR2) through its subsidiary Gulf International Holding (GIH) which entered into a share purchasing agreement with Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) “The Company foresees the potential of the BKR2 Project which is consistent with the Company’s strategy to expand its renewable energy business overseas and the transaction will allow the Company to enter into to a strategic partnership with the global market leader in offshore wind like Ørsted,” Gulf writes Located 56km off the coast of Lower Saxony, Borkum Riffgrund 2 consists of 56 MHI Vestas V164-8.3 MW turbines with two different types of foundations – monopiles with bolted transition pieces and suction bucket jackets The 450 MW offshore wind farm was fully commissioned in November 2018 and officially inaugurated in June 2019 we offer our clients an extensive range of DNV offshore equipment including offshore containers tanks and bespoke designs for both long term contracts and short-term hires with no minimum […] There are a thousand ways to describe this Project of the Week but simply sublime is all that really needs to be said Really, simply sublime was the goal mood for this project, which is meant to be a relaxing home-away-from-home. Delugan Meissl Associated Architects designed this superb residential housing for offshore workers who are building and servicing the major offshore wind turbine parks in the North Sea The delicate color palette, the congruency across many different times of day, the exquisite light…there is a peaceful feeling that emanates from these perfectly created images. This is the craftsmanship of photographer Piet Niemann based out of Northern Germany Piet kicks things off by sharing “It is a housing complex on the island of Borkum for the fitters of one of the largest offshore wind turbine parks in the North Sea The facility is located directly at the harbour – in a way the workers here fall out of bed in the morning directly onto their ship which then takes them to the offshore park And in the evening they land again and are directly at their housing complex The second phase of construction is currently under construction and will include more residential buildings The island of Borkum is a very popular vacation destination Our production fell at the end of March and usually March 2020 was the first hard lockdown in Germany and thus the island was eerily empty Only people who could show a contract of work were allowed to set foot on the island and so the basic feeling was very unusual And since all the workers got on the boats early in the morning we were mostly alone on the project during the day – with the exception of one last workman.” He continues “I always strive to show the projects in context with their users or to depict the interactions of passers-by with the architecture this was not so easy under these (empty) circumstances and required a lot of patience – we had to ‘arrest’ everyone we came across for the pictures harbour employees and – when they were not on the water – the actual users Another difficulty was to photograph the project in its urban context because since it is currently still the first phase of construction we had to be very careful not to integrate the extensive construction sites too heavily on the images The building typology is very similar to the existing buildings It has to be said that this harbour area was used for military purposes for a long time and the existing buildings don’t exactly stand up to any aesthetic scrutiny the tender stipulated that the new building had to fit into the built environment and I was and am really thrilled with the way Delugan Meissl Associated Architects have implemented this also in collaboration with the landscape architects They have managed to create a very high-quality living environment here where the offshore workers – who certainly do one of the hardest jobs you can do in the civilian sector – can once again relax a little in their very short leisure time.” Maybe it’s because I was raised in a small shore town but the feelings this image evokes and the tone it contributes to this project make it one of my favorites of all of the architectural images I’ve seen I love the long crisp shadow that is cast by the building on the left The pale coloration of the sand works beautifully with the faint blue of the sky Piet’s perspective allows us to see the sheer length of the building on the right We understand the different structures and their relation to one another without him giving too much away or losing the feeling of intimacy that he has conjured up the bird just takes this shot to a whole new level So how long was Piet there and what was the planning process like “I had planned four days on the island to have some backup for the weather – and it was needed The weather on the Frisian Islands – a long chain of islands along the Dutch and German coast – is only partly predictable and many can change spontaneously We booked the ferry and the only remaining hotel on very short notice when the weather forecast was ideal the conditions were then initially semi-ideal and we had to plan well so that we could photograph all essential perspectives in the needed light which by its nature is a constant companion on an island in the stormy North Sea the first two days were practically windless it freshened up considerably and the fourth was then as we had feared – very windy Even a 1/250 second shutter speed came hand in hand with motion blur and a long exposure was just impossible Not to mention the constant sand trickle of the surrounding dunes which is gnawing on the equipment and your own eyes during a long day quite a lot we’re able to wrap up the shoot without any major unfinished business “We had already organized all possible accesses Thus we could act very freely on-site and move stuff the way we wanted to,” Piet explains “For example and removing or have removed all the other things that I found disturbing Which are – considering it’s still a construction site – quite a lot.” Being such a sprawling project with lots of factors – be that weather or construction – I am so impressed by the magnitude of photographs that Piet was able to make He shares “You have to have a vision of what you want to convey visually Perceive the place and discover its qualities and put them in the foreground Work hard to make sure that no circumstances on location thwart your plans.” As the golden sunset washes over the side of one of the residences it pulls out warmth and texture that contrasts nicely from the colder and more rigid linear bits of the facade We see the workers returning to their homes which lends a nice bit of context and story to this scene this time in a tighter composition that makes it feel as if we were walking up to join in cooking dinner unfortunately non-existent 35mm TSE is replaced by a Contax 645 35mm Redundancy is very important to me and so there is a second body in the cases which is also often set up in parallel to be able to photograph two perspectives at the same time and in the same light.” He goes on “to the chagrin of my assistants – I never travel without my big ladder It is not always mandatory to use but is often the necessary key to the only really good perspective.” I was interested to know if Piet brings along any unconventional tools or objects to make life easier on the job He shared that he brings “‘a wrench for removing construction fences and the key for unlocking dumpsters I think I’m cooking with the same hot water as everyone else.” A proper send-off for this lovely project is the following triptych that Piet made He shows us the way the building changes throughout the day in varying light We also get a glimpse of the functionality of the residence The first frame shows a worker leaving at sunrise He is perfectly illuminated by the bank of warm glowing windows The next frame shows the same worker returning as the sun sets notes the functionality of the ledge designed into the steps We see it used as a place to sit and relax or maybe rest while grabbing a bite to eat I inquired about what advice Piet would lend to a photographer shooting a similar project Bring patience and time with you and be commissioned with a proper budget Think carefully about the subjects you want to photograph – and then photograph them with maximum dedication and take any necessary effort And do not dare to come without an assistant.” Eternal Thank You’s to my new friend Piet for submitting this series for Project of the Week, and sharing all of his wisdom. You can (and should) see more of Piet’s gorgeous work at pietniemann.de and via Instagram @_piet_niemann If you have a project you’d like to be considered for Project of the Week, you can submit it here. The 450MW Borkum Riffgrund 2 offshore wind farm fed electricity into the German national grid for the first time on Saturday All of the wind farm’s 56 MHI Vestas 8MW turbines are expected to be commissioned by the end of the year Borkum Riffgrund 2 is the first offshore wind farm in Germany to feature 8MW wind turbines and suction bucket foundations The power required for the commissioning came from the sister project Borkum Riffgrund 1 which is connected to the Borkum Riffgrund 2 by means of a connecting cable the commissioning of the wind turbines can be carried out independently of network operator TenneT which is completing the grid connection in parallel The generated electricity is collected at the off-site substation from where it is then forwarded to TenneT’s high-voltage grid and transported to the Lower Saxon coast Recently, the last suction bucket jacket foundations were installed and all the cables in the wind farm were completely laid The wind farm’s full commercial launch is planned for 2019 the wind farm will boost Ørsted’s operating offshore wind capacity in Germany to over 1.3GW The wind farm will be managed from Ørsted’s operations & management centre in Norden-Norddeich Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) is equally involved in the project