Orsted has taken its Osonic technology into commercial deployment after signing a preferred supplier agreement with Luxcara.
The company has claimed the deal is the first for its jetting-based monopile installation method, which it said delivers a significant reduction in underwater noise while enabling cost savings.
Orsted has claimed Osonic achieves noise levels just above the background noise in the German Bight and is intended for use across Luxcara’s German offshore foundation portfolio.
The low-noise method has been developed and matured by Orsted over several years and was deployed earlier this year at the Gode Wind 3 offshore wind farm, according to the company.
Orsted has claimed it is now establishing Osonic as a dedicated platform offering licences and related services to third-party developers for European offshore projects.
Patrick Harnett, executive vice president and chief construction officer at Orsted, said: “By reaching an agreement with Luxcara, we’re taking Osonic from concept to commercial offering, which demonstrates Orsted’s strong track record of innovation as well as Osonic’s potential. We’re seeing increased interest from offshore wind developers across European key markets, and with this landmark agreement, we’re laying the groundwork for broader adoption.”
He added: “As a leading developer of offshore wind, we’re proud to extend our technology services to third parties. This supports the further build-out of offshore wind, beyond our own 8.1 GW offshore wind construction portfolio, and further enables the deployment of offshore wind as an affordable, reliable, and secure resource.”
Holger Matthiesen, director of offshore wind and green hydrogen at Luxcara, said: “At Luxcara, we pursue a responsible and sustainable offshore strategy, which has enabled us to succeed in tenders that prioritise qualitative criteria. Already in 2022, Luxcara started looking into different low-noise offshore installation methods. We are pleased to now deepen the collaboration with Orsted and look forward to preparing the next steps for the implementation of their low-noise installation technology, which has already been successfully deployed in the German North Sea. Its proven performance under conditions comparable to our projects was a decisive factor for us to consider the innovative technology.”
Orsted has claimed it will license Osonic and act as engineering, procurement and construction consultant to Luxcara under the preferred supplier agreement.
The company has claimed the patent-pending jetting system reduces soil resistance, allowing foundations to sink more quietly into the seabed without conventional pile-driving.
Orsted has also claimed the method cut underwater noise at Gode Wind 3 by 99% compared to the most commonly used technique, lowering levels to just above ambient conditions in the German Bight.
The company noted that Osonic won the German Sustainability Award in October, with judges stating the innovation “shows how the expansion of renewable energy and the protection of biodiversity can go hand in hand, setting new benchmarks as a potential standard for sustainable offshore wind projects worldwide.”