DCNS floater passes early test

Bureau Veritas has issued preliminary design approval for a floating offshore wind turbine foundation designed by DCNS Energies.

The approval was provided as part of the GE and DCNS Energies Sea Reed project, an initiative supported by ADEME, the French environment and energy management agency.

It means that the design is feasible, achievable, and contains no technological issues that may prevent the design from being matured.

Bureau Veritas verified design methodologies, covering hydrodynamics, structure, stability and electricity.

The company also checked that the design was suitable for use in all phases of operation including transport, installation and commissioning.

DCNS Energies chief executive officer Thierry Kalanquin said: “The approval by Bureau Veritas of our latest foundation design is a step forward towards the development of our global industrial and integrated (floating offshore wind) solutions.

“It also validates our system in the short-term for our ongoing projects, in France and in the US but also in the mid and long term for our future commercial farms all around the world.”

Bureau Veritas has also been awarded certification of a floating wind array to be deployed by DCNS between the Groix and Belle-Ile Islands off France.

The work covers site conditions assessment, design evaluation, manufacturing, transportation and commissioning surveillance.

The four 6MW GE Haliade turbines are expected to be operational in 2020.

Image: DCNS/GE