Marine Engineering Energy Solutions (MEES) and ODE have designed an offshore wind turbine foundation that aims to boost nearshore deep-water development.
MEES and its international engineering and operations support services subsidiary ODE have used technology from the oil and gas industry to develop the articulated wind column (AWC) using source data provided by Doris Engineering
The foundation has been designed to provide structural support in offshore waters ranging from 45 metres to 200 metres for the largest wind turbines currently available – up to 8MW.
The AWC consists of a concrete vertical column and base, which is located on the seabed. The two main parts are connected by an articulated joint, which allows rotation about both horizontal axes.
It uses the buoyancy in the deeper water to maintain the support structure near vertical, resisting the forces from wind, current and waves, the companies said.
They added that the foundation can be located “where the power is needed, closer to shore, reducing significant installation and operation costs”.
The design of the AWC enables it to be produced in high volumes and at lower cost concrete, MEES and ODE said.
“It also allows for installation on an uneven seabed without the need for seabed preparation, delivering the potential for a lower levelised cost of energy when compared to conventional offshore wind solutions,” the companies said.
“The development of deep-water locations within the 25km range will allow for shorter cable connections to shore, and eliminates the need for the adoption of transformer units, which would provide a significant component to the overall development costs,” the partners said.
They added that model testing at the Doris associated Oceanide facility in southern France has been completed in extreme storm, operating and maintenance weather conditions.
ODE managing director Peter Godfrey said: “The AWC is based on a proven, robust technical solution suitable for the harshest environmental conditions.
“It has a simple installation and removal process, based on a design successfully used by the oil and gas sector in the North Sea for many years.”
The AWC has been shortlisted in the UK Energy Innovation awards.
Image: the foundation could result in wind farms closer to the coast (reNEWS)
