MEMBER NEWS: Apollo and Global Energy Group Release Key Findings for Floating Offshore Wind Operations

July 23, 2024
MEMBER NEWS: Apollo and Global Energy Group Release Key Findings for Floating Offshore Wind Operations

Apollo, in partnership with Global Energy Group and the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult’s Floating Offshore Wind Centre of Excellence, has released a critical study on the Tow to Port (T2P) operations for Floating Offshore Wind Turbines (FOWTs). Conducted from November 2023 to March 2024, the study addresses the operational challenges of transporting FOWTs to port for major maintenance.

As the Floating Offshore Wind sector expands, the research offers essential guidance and insight into T2P operations. The study predicts that between 10 to 30 turbines may require T2P annually from 2035 to 2040, based on a review of bottom-fixed turbine failure data. This could make T2P costs more significant than offshore installation and routine O&M costs combined.

The industry has an opportunity to prioritise the planning, management and mitigation of T2P to prevent significant bottlenecks, such as the limited availability of suitable vessels and cranes. Today these pose high risks and costs

“Understanding the challenges of T2P early helps developers to make better decisions”, commented Apollo’s Lead Naval Architect, Will Brindley. “T2P cost and frequency can be significantly reduced with better planning to ensure the availability of essential resources at competitive rates. Innovative technology must also play a part by enabling more efficient offshore operations. Active investment, incentivisation and open collaboration across the floating wind industry are essential to make this a reality.”

Hrishikesh Atitkar, T&I Engineer at Global Energy Group said: “The industrialisation of Floating Offshore Wind is set to revolutionise Scotland’s energy landscape, with enhanced port infrastructure essential to unlocking this technology. Global Energy Group are delighted to have collaborated in this critical T2P study, focused on optimised O&M strategies to ensure the competitiveness and long-term success of floating wind.

As part of the study, we have been able to utilise our expertise from the extensive offshore wind track record developed at the Port of Nigg. Our facility has grown into a renewables superhub, having managed over 3.5GW of offshore wind assets and we continue to develop our capabilities to support future developments in the North Sea and beyond.”

Jason Wise, Senior Project Manager for Floating Offshore Wind at ORE Catapult, said: “This project is extremely valuable to the industry as it highlights the need to better understand the operation and maintenance challenges associated with tow-to-port at gigawatt scale. The insights and outcomes presented in this report demonstrate the methodologies proposed for use in floating offshore wind while also highlighting some of the challenges to be overcome”.

The study, commissioned by the ORE Catapult’s Floating Offshore Wind Centre of Excellence, is set to shape how the industry approaches solving T2P challenges. The findings of this study will help developers and the supply chain to inform their project financial planning and floating array infrastructure design.

For more information and to access the full report, visit the link below:

https://fowcoe.co.uk/industry-insights/reports/tow-to-port-offstation-management/

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