German agency TUV SUD has certified a telescopic foundation structure for supporting offshore wind turbines in deeper waters.
The foundation has been developed for the ELISA/ELICAN pilot project by an industrial consortium, led by Spanish engineering and consulting outfit Esteyco.
The certificate was handed over at WindEurope 2019 in Bilbao, north Spain, earlier this month.
The structure comprises a foundation and a telescopic tower both made of concrete that can be floated to offshore wind project locations prior to installation.
During sea transport, the foundation acts as a floating barge and the telescopic tower, with the turbine installed on it, is retracted to ensure stability while it is transported to the offshore site.
For installation, the foundation of the support structure is lowered to the seabed and the telescopic tower extended.
Within the scope of this project, TUV SUD developed a new certification procedure to ensure the safe and reliable use of the new offshore wind support structure.
TUV SUD Industry Service project manager Florien Singer said: “The solution developed by Esteyco represents a far more cost-effective method for realising offshore wind farms.
“Firstly, the entire structure can be assembled from pre-cast parts in a dry dock, and secondly, transport and installation can be effected without the costly use of special installation vessels and cranes.”
TUV SUD has been accredited by the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (Bundesamt fur Seeschifffahrt und Hydrographie, BSH) for the certification of offshore wind farms and as a certification body for offshore and onshore wind turbines and their components.