Fabricator Sif is studying the feasibility of increasing its manufacturing capabilities and capacity to deliver monopile foundations for next-generation offshore wind turbines.
The company said in its third quarter results that with support from external technical, managerial and financial experts it is targeting monopiles with maximum diameter of 11.5 metres, a 120-metre length and average weight of 2500 tonnes per unit.
The goal is also to produce 200 monopiles a year, Sif said.
It added that the new manufacturing set-up will also take into account a further possible step-up to 15-metre diameters.
Sif said that to be production-ready at the end of 2024 would require a substantial extension of its facilities in Rotterdam and the adjustment of existing facilities in Roermond.
In parallel, the company would still have to execute its existing orderbook, during the window of July 2022-June 2024.
The corresponding final investment decision (FID) is subject to certain conditions such as returns on capital employed, solid financing, CO2 footprint and launching utilisation levels, Sif said
FID is targeted early July 2022, it added.
Sif reported EBITDA of €7.8m in the third quarter of 2021, up from €5.8m in the same period last year.
EBITDA for the first three quarters of 2021 was €28m, almost 62% higher than the €17.3m posted last year.
Contribution was €24.8m in Q3, up from €22.8m in 2020. For the year to date, the contribution was €82.5m, over 20% higher than the €68.8m in the same period of last year.
Contribution is calculated as revenue minus cost of raw materials, subcontracted work, logistics and other external project-related charges.
However, production was down slightly in the third quarter at 36 kilotonnes from 37Ktonnes last year.
Production for 2021 as whole so far was up 10% at 124Ktonnes from 113Ktonnes in 2020.