PES Wind 1 2021

THINK TANK Nanocomposites for next-generation rain tested on a state-of-the-art rain erosion Dr Adam Nevin erosion solutions rig. An accelerated erosion test, where water droplets added to the test chamber polymer matrix and preventing significant Recognizing that polyurethane holds great bombarded blades rotating at rapid mass loss during erosion. promise in protection of wind turbine blade speeds, enabled accurate comparison of leading edges, Trelleborg’s applied test subjects. This allowed a lifetime In order to fully understand the impact of technologies operation in Retford, England, analysis based upon precipitation rate, the nanotubes on the rain erosion developed a novel nanocomposite solution using the incubation period, which is the performance of the material, it is important building upon experience manufacturing time elapsed before the first mass loss of leading edge protection for aerospace the coating or until the damage is visually applications that incorporated nanotubes detectable, of the sample versus number of during manufacture. It was predicted that droplets impacted. this would reinforce the leading edge of wind turbine blades by bridging potential erosion Initial results of the nanocomposite leading cracks, preventing future larger pitting and edge protection materials were promising; mass loss. while the incubation period was not significantly positively impacted, the In order to test this hypothesis, a number of incorporation of the carbon nanotubes led sample sheets were manufactured of varying to a mass loss less than half of that of the compositions, including standard polyurethane unmodified leading-edge erosion leading-edge protection material, which is protection sheet. A reduction in mass loss currently widely used in aerospace and on its own does not indicate an renewables, and a newly created carbon improvement in erosion, or even in the nanotube impregnated polyurethane. lifetime of the protection. However, the results obtained from this initial experiment Each of these sheets was adhered to a suggested the nanotubes may be acting in fiberglass blade composite substrate as the mode hypothesized; reinforcing the per DNV-RP-0171 standard practice and WWW.PESWIND.COM 51

THINK TANK to consider the complexity of rain droplets material. Increased hardness can reduce the mass loss while maintaining a similar impacting on rapidly moving objects and the ability of the material to yield when impacted incubation period. subsequent mechanisms of erosion. and thereby mitigate the stresses caused by Materials need to absorb the shock of a high-speed liquid droplets, worsening It was therefore theorized that by optimizing water impact, dissipate it, and recover erosion performance. the formulation of the polyurethane matrix before the next impact. At high speeds the used in these nanocomposites, the hardness water impact produces high level localized The focus of further analysis to evaluate rain of the material could be controlled and tuned, stress, estimated to be in excess of 100 erosion performance was therefore on the combining the improvement of nanoscale Megapascals in some epoxy resin systems hardness of the two materials tested. The reinforcement with a highly resilient polymer around the point of impact, which dissipates hardness of the material was found to system in order to create a novel material. radially through the material. increase by roughly 10% upon addition of the carbon nanotubes. Such an increase in Optimization of high-resilience polymer for Therefore, one important factor that hardness would usually be accompanied by a peak performance influences the effectiveness of a material for decrease in rain erosion performance, rain erosion protection is the hardness of the explaining the discrepancy of a decrease in The final development cycle was the alteration of the polymer backbone to enhance the polyurethane formulation, enabling the hardness, resilience, elastic modulus and toughness of the material to be varied to obtain optimal rain erosion performance. Constituent polyurethane parts were chosen that offered high cut, chip and tear resistance, while also conveying high tensile properties to the final material when combined with the versatility of a three-component polyurethane. This was to achieve a wide spread of material hardness values, while maintaining consistent results. The system offered the potential to unlock the promising nanocomposite improvements of the carbon nanotube system as demonstrated in the earlier results. Following the same procedure as before, samples were manufactured and adhered to blade composite structures in accordance with the DNV standard and tested in the same rain erosion rig to enable a direct comparison of results. The new optimized polyurethane material was shown to have a dramatic improvement over both previous samples, with the incubation time doubled by the use of the new high-resilience polymer system. Furthermore, analysis of the mass loss showed that the use of this system to tune 52 PES WIND

THINK TANK the hardness of the material was solution predicted to last almost 20 years consistent return on investment over the successful, as the material demonstrated a with a single 300-micron application. lifetime of a windfarm, maintaining the huge improvement in mass loss, with the power output by offering complete mass change negligible at the end of the The flexibility and sheet-like nature of the protection of the wind turbine blade against run, successfully combining improvement material affords additional benefits as the rain erosion. in polymer reinforcement with rain erosion method of installation is simple and rapid, protection when considering the and the lifetime can be readily increased by a www.trelleborg.com/applied-technologies incubation period. change in thickness. Trelleborg is undertaking further research in this area to Biography Further analysis showed the improvement examine the impact of the thickness of the in erosion protection carried on material, and investigate the potential of Dr Adam Nevin is the Innovation Lead throughout the rest of the test, with the pre-shaped molds, removing any stress within Trelleborg’s applied optimized material showing no signs of imparted to the material during application technologies operation. He obtained failure by the end of the rigorous test of a flat sheet over a curved surface. his doctorate at the University of procedure. By monitoring the rain flow rate Nottingham on highly functionalized and the tip speed throughout the These unique polyurethane materials hold nanomaterials and their potential for experiment, it was possible to model the the potential to dramatically improve the revolutionizing the renewable energy impact this material would have on the lifetime performance of windfarms, sector, before continuing to a lifetime of a wind turbine in various protecting wind turbine blades from subsequent post-doctoral position precipitation conditions in an offshore efficiency loss due to erosion and the developing novel smart polymer environment. It was found that the lifetime subsequent change in aerodynamics of the materials at Cardiff University. of the leading edge protection material blades. Trelleborg hopes these new increased by over 250%, resulting in a materials will help wind operators see a WWW.PESWIND.COM 53

ASK THE EXPERTS How can we make the most of the UK’s green industrial revolution? Wijnand van Aalst, CEO of Van Aalst Group, talked to PES about the place of Safeway Gangway in the group. There are various gangways all providing safe walk to work solutions, with differing options depending on where they are being used. Training and safety are key and thus taken very seriously, as can be seen in the introduction of the Safeway Academy. Read on to find out more… 54 PES WIND

ASK THE EXPERTS Wijnand van Aalst PES: Hi Wijnand it’s great to welcome you to Providing access combined with grouting The training covers all possible PES Wind. To begin with would you like to solutions. The Safeway Osprey is able to be eventualities. It is completed with an give us a brief overview of Van Aalst and parked vertically which allows enormous independent examination by experts from explain where Safeway fits into the group? advantages in keeping deck space free for STC-KNRM. Thus, all parties involved are other crane activities. assured of the highest possible level of Wijnand van Aalst: The Van Aalst Group is a training and certification. diversified company with decades of The Safeway Gannet has all good features of experiences with equipment installations on the Safeway Seagull but was designed PES: Once in situ is anyone able to operate over 850 vessels. Companies extend from specifically for SOVs. Trolley handling, the gangway? the Netherlands, multiple companies in traditional bumper mode and stepless Norway as well as in China. Safeway Gangway transfer of persons and trolleys from WA: Once the gangway is placed on the is part of the group. warehouse to turbine decks are all feasible. vessel, either the Safeway certified operator, or personnel, or the vessel crew can operate PES: Of course, we know about Safeway PES: What about installation, is a trained the gangway. Gangways in general, but what different technician required, or are they plug and types are there and what are their go? If so, is any special training needed and PES: Safety must be a preoccupation for different uses? who provides it and where? you as a company, are there any special considerations, how do you ensure that WA: The rental fleet on Safeway consists of WA: Trained and certified operators are everyone is kept up to date with the latest the Seagull type, the Safeway Seagull is the essential on all motion compensated requirements? most flexible, versatile unit with roll gangways. Last year, Safeway took this one compensation mast, stepless height step further, with the introduction of the WA: Of course, safety is most important, we elevation, hover mode, operator cabin, Safeway Academy. are certified ISO 9001 (quality) ISO 45001 covered walkway, low energy consumption, (health & safety), as well as ISO 14001 small footprint, easy to install with push The Safeway Academy takes the industry (environment). This means annual audits on button 3D tip hook function. operator training requirements to the next QHSE of our work and our performance. level and provides a combination of The Safeway Osprey is used on wind farm theoretical training on hydraulics, electrics, We consider safety a top priority, for example installation vessels assisting with the mechanics, as well as virtual reality training this is shown in the fact that all our gangways installation of monopiles and wind turbines. from a real operator chair by using VR glasses. have an operator cabin with heating, air conditioning and additional trainer chair. Most of our competitors’ gangways are not equipped with even an operator cabin. The operator cabin enables the operations to be executed under full safety, in any weather conditions, extreme heat or extreme cold. Plus, our walkway is enclosed, which definitely adds to the comfort of the technicians walking on the gangway. PES: Looking at the sales, is offshore wind your biggest target WA: The offshore wind industry has by far the greatest potential. The numbers indicate that in 2030 100GW will be added to the global offshore wind fleet with the expected demand to reach 100 SOV vessels. In 2050 the numbers look even more astonishing, with up to 1000GW needed to be added to global offshore wind, resulting in WWW.PESWIND.COM 55

ASK THE EXPERTS Olympic Invervention SW4 General Electric and Vestas, are more and developed from the hover mode, in more involved in offshore wind, the focus of combination with connections to the oil & the need of a global fleet approaching 1000 Safeway Gangway is on these companies as gas FPSO (Floating Production Storage & SOV. Indeed, we believe long term the well as the vessel designers, owners and Offloading). As our gangway already has offshore wind is our biggest market. yards. multiple years of proven track record and received the Safety Award from Shell, we can PES: Why do you think clients should PES: Are there are any other markets you proudly say that we are leading the industry choose your solutions, what added value do would like to break into? with Ship-to-Ship transfer technology, which you offer? will be very beneficial in the rapid WA: We very much believe in floating wind development market of floating wind. WA: Looking forward, the key is to reduce and have much to offer our clients. Our Levelized Cost Of Energy (LCOE). The quest technology is already able to connect to PES: We know you are currently working on is to reach subsidy free offshore wind. This floating offshore structures without a project for Dogger Bank, can you tell us requires the operations on board the SOV modifications to the target floater. This anything about this, and/or any other to be much more efficient than today. technology is unique with Safeway and is future projects? There will be more focus on performance, the conditions in which the works can WA: We will be using our new Safeway continue, and how many days per year the Osprey Gangway at Dogger Bank. We work can be performed. benefit from our cooperation with Tyne Gangway for their service from the Port of The added value proposition of the Safeway Tyne. Dogger Bank has a challenging wind Gangway is to provide year round W2W and wave combination, which makes it operations, whenever the vessel is able to particularly interesting to be part of this remain in position our gangway is able to area and its development. connect and transfer personnel. The performance is second to none due to the PES: COVID-19 made 2020 a difficult year combination of the hover mode with the roll for many companies, what impact did it compensation mast. The roll compensation have on Van Aalst and do you see that mode reduces all movement of the gangway changing as we move forward in 2021 and up to 70% and the hover mode makes it where do you see Van Aalst in particular and possible to transfer people even when there the offshore wind industry in general, in 5 is no favorable landing points, or the gates years’ time? are closed due to maintenance or damage. WA: The Van Aalst Group had challenges in PES: We would be interested to know where 2020 as many companies, however we have your main clients are based and if this has together with our investors, The Port of changed over the years? Rotterdam and NIBC Bank, long term vision on the market. We therefore will push on to WA: Our clients are often similar to the continue our rapid growth of our Group and existing clients of the Van Aalst Group. This Safeway Gangway according to the outlined is one great example where the corporate roadmap in the strategic plan of becoming strategy strengthens the business world leader in W2W solutions and services in strategy. As large marine contractors, such 3-5 years from today. as Van Oord, Jan De Nul, Boskalis, Sapura, DEME, Heerema, Subsea 7 and turbine www.safewaygangway.com manufactures such as Siemens Gamesa, 56 PES WIND

SMART INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS SAFEWAY BV T +31 (0)78 622 13 04 Baanhoekweg 16 E [email protected] 3313 LA Dordrecht W www.safewaygangway.com The Netherlands PART OF VAN AALST GROUP

TALKING POINT Combating ‘light pollution’ with grit and innovation Lights out: the first transponder-based ADL system was activated recently in Northern Germany One of the most pressing issues when it comes to making wind energy fit for the future is the aspect of acceptance: acceptance among the broader public, but especially among those directly affected by it, the residents and the environment. Transponder-based aircraft detection lighting systems (ADLS) offer a sustainable solution putting non-stop blinking obstruction lights to an end and bringing back dark night skies. 58 PES WIND

TALKING POINT It was almost twenty years ago when Gerd ‘In 2002, we were already being confronted rather reticent, but luckily, we were wise Moeller, General Manager of Lanthan GmbH with the problem of acceptance by residents. enough to give up our resistance and, based in Bremen, Germany, was first Our first measure was the technical and legal instead, started to focus on this.’ confronted with the question of how to solve implementation of the visibility range the problem of ‘light pollution’, an issue that control. In this case, the obstruction lighting The first pilot project took place at a wind residents, as well as the environment would burn less brightly in times of good farm in Wiemersdorf, Germany. ‘The air force surrounding wind farms, are quite literally visibility. In 2004, we were first introduced to squadron of the German Federal Police was facing every single night due to the red the concept of on-demand lighting – lights stationed right next door. And there was an obstruction lights on the wind turbine that detect aircraft. It was back then when actual need: even though the WTGs by generators (WTG) blinking non-stop to we were first approached to come up with a manufacturer Enercon were not more than ensure that the WTGs are always safely transponder-based solution for an aircraft 100 meters tall and therefore did not require visible to aviation. detection system. Our first reaction was obstruction lights per law, we were asked to install our transponder-based aircraft detection lighting system (ADLS). The project was a great success and has been up-and-running for the past ten years.’ What followed was a lot of hard work and energy that went into further developing the transponder-based ADLS as well as gaining approval for this comparatively young technology. Despite its frustrations and bureaucratic hurdles, the venture proved to be successful, as a broad consensus was eventually achieved. New regulations brought into law in countries such as Germany, but also in the ICAO, the world’s highest-level international civil aviation authority, now allow the use of transponder- based ADLS technology. The German government has even taken it one step further, as it has become mandatory to install on-demand aircraft detecting lights for both existing as well as newly-built WTGs. Operators are now legally required to have an ADLS, whether radar, or transponder-based, installed and running by the end of 2022. This decision by German lawmakers prompted the founders and central players of the successful companies Lanthan, Air Avionics, and RECASE to join forces to combine the bundled expertise of a leader in aviation obstruction marking technology, an aerospace approved manufacturer of avionic instruments and an experienced engineering and consultancy service provider in the field of renewable energy. The three companies started working together on transponder- based ADLS many years ago, with a mission to create safe, market-mature, cost- effective, and sustainable ADLS products. Therefore, the founding of Lanthan Safe Sky GmbH was a logical next step, focussing on the widespread implementation of transponder-based ADLS. In the spring of 2020, an eventful year by all measures, Lanthan Safe Sky (LSS) was founded and hit the ground running. From a team of 12 experts in the areas of aerospace, aviation obstruction markers, project management, and wind energy, LSS has grown to include over thirty employees. As the first supplier of a transponder-based ADLS to have passed through all the licensing and approval processes, Lanthan Safe Sky was able to secure orders to equip more than 3,000 wind turbines in its first year of business. But what is it that differentiates a transponder-based solution from a WWW.PESWIND.COM 59

TALKING POINT The transponder-based ADLS reliably monitors the relevant airspace, from ground level to upper airspace radar-based system? Aside from the fact that average values of 98 percent, which is a receiver,’ Steven Siemen points out. it is free from emissions and does not require positive surprise to many operators,’ says frequency assignments, the most significant Managing Director Mitja Klatt. Despite the favourable legal framework and advantage is that it safely detects aircraft the speed with which LSS was able to move flying very low. While radar-based systems are From an operator’s point of view, there are forward with the installation of its ADLS faced with limited coverage close to the several crucial aspects to keep in mind: one system, mostly thanks to being the first ground, for example due to reflections by of them is the provision of a stable internet certified provider, the process which buildings, vegetation, and terrain, the connection, which is a prerequisite for the ultimately leads to successfully switching off transponder-based technology uses signals operation of the ADLS system. This can be the hazard lights isn’t exactly a walk in the which are sent out by transponders in aircraft. provided on-site or it can be implemented by park. ‘Especially the regulatory These signals are sent out by all aircraft flying using an already built-in mobile specifications, or lack thereof, were often at night and can be received readily, even if communication system in the ADLS. rather confusing and tedious for everybody being reflected or shielded. involved and proved to be the most time- The average data volume that an air traffic consuming challenge. But it was also a Steven Siemen, Project Implementation receiver ATS-3 consumes is about 1 GB/day. valuable experience that ultimately resulted Lead at LSS, explains the details: ‘We reliably Interface modules ATS-4, which are in a steep learning curve for us and every monitor the relevant airspace, from ground optionally used in systems without traffic other provider of ADLS. Being the first level to upper airspace. The fully developed receivers to control the hazard beacons, company to overcome this final threshold in and field-proven detection technology is not require less volume, approx. 100 Mbytes/ the process makes us proud and very only based on all legally required signals, but day. The speed should be at least 0.5/ 0.3 optimistic that the path for a swift analyses further aviation signals coming Mbit/s, upload/download, with a ping of installation of our ADLS across Germany and from aircraft. Moreover, the signals received <100ms to a domestic server. its neighbouring countries has now been by all ADLS worldwide are put together to a cleared,’ says Marc Foerderer, Head of comprehensive picture of the current air Another relevant question often asked by Marketing and Business Development. traffic situation. By this means, particularly operators is whether every single turbine has low operational costs without maintenance to be equipped with a traffic receiver. ‘The With regards to the price tag, there is no effort on-site can be realized while safety answer is no. Our air traffic system ATS-3 one-size-fits-all approach. ‘Our offers are requirements are not only met but covers a safe detection area of 10 km. The individually tailored from single WTGs up to over-fulfilled.’ activation area of individual WTGs has a complete parks, from individual plants to radius of 4 km – that is the space in which the cross-national clusters. By offering tailored When it comes to the concrete numbers of beaconing has to be activated. Activation products, such as a signal provision contract, beaconing off-time periods, the outcome areas have to be included by the detection we aim to provide affordable solutions for depends on where the wind farms are radius. Thus, a WTG cannot be located smaller projects as well. It is important to located. ‘In most cases, we can reach close to farther than 6 km away from the WTG with emphasize that there are no hidden costs as 100 percent light-off-time. But even in the the traffic receiver. In many formations it is these can be immense, especially for relatively airspace close to airports, we can reach possible to cover many WTGs with one single inexperienced operators. We offer our 60 PES WIND

TALKING POINT products fully licensed, which means there are The work continues despite the sometimes harsh conditions no patent-related risks for the operators. Additionally, we provide support for the approval process on-site with extensive documentation as required by each local authority,’ explains Steven Siemen. The first project to be completed is a wind farm in Schleswig-Holstein, Northern Germany, consisting of six WTGs: in February, the transponder-based ADLS went live for the first time worldwide. One predictable realization for the team: the process is not without its complexities, especially as several parties are involved. ‘We experienced some technical challenges immediately before going live. These were mainly in relation to WTG IT systems, interfaces, and networks. Even though we were able to put this teething trouble behind us rather quickly, we all breathed a collective sigh of relief when the system was up and running without a glitch,’ reveals software developer Tobias Fetzer. Neuengoers in Schleswig-Holstein is therefore not only a world premiere but will also serve as a blueprint for further projects which will shortly follow. ‘We are confident that in the near future a growing number of parks will switch off their obstruction lights,’ says Mitja Klatt. ‘Even with the legal deadline being months away at the end of 2022, both residents and the environment benefit from a more rapid implementation. Every obstruction light being turned off is one more step further into the direction of sustainable and future-oriented wind energy.’ www.lanthan-safe-sky.com Reducing light pollution to a minimum also benefits the environment WWW.PESWIND.COM 61

TALKING POINT Sustainable ports in the green future Ports are the arrival, transit and exit point for a large part of the world’s trade and can as such be portrayed as economic growth engines. Port activities come with a cost to the environment and the surrounding cities, where our race towards zero carbon emission also affects the way in which ports will be operated in the future. The track record of ports is often centuries long, and their development has been underpinned by the activities in the hinterland as well as the activities of the players in the port. 62 PES WIND

TALKING POINT Future port strategies must include There is an environmental argument for the resources. This situation juxtaposed with sustainability to ensure a green future and shipping industry to progress towards a port operation, where various ships call at viewed in the context of the lifetime of ports, greener future, which is also recognized by different quays at all times of the day, makes this becomes increasingly necessary. the International Maritime Organization planning essential, but we know that shore targeting a 50% reduction by 2050. However, power connection cannot be installed in The big contributor to carbon emissions when these ships call into ports close to every possible location in any port. cities, the need for curbing emissions The shipping industry is a big contributor to becomes even more of a priority and results These are economic conditions for the ports carbon emission. In its 2017 report on CO2 are required much earlier. and therefore also towards the shipping emission from international shipping DTU, industry, where the cost of port calls must the Technical University of Denmark, stated A common approach in ports is the provision not be allowed to increase due to excessive that 90% of the world’s trade is transported of shore power, which obviously makes most investments in green port infrastructure. by ship, while 2.2% of all greenhouse gases sense if the power is from renewable This dilemma is on the schedule of many port are emitted by these ships. WWW.PESWIND.COM 63

TALKING POINT administrations. This issue is also a The Port Esbjerg team has inaugurated nine ports and availability of quays, which both preoccupation for the communities green shore power connections, which increase congestion and contribute to surrounding the ports. enable large vessels to run on green carbon emissions. In contrast, today many electricity while docked, rather than use their ports are able to accommodate rail freight In Port Esbjerg, on the west coast of onboard diesel generators, and this has the and are advocating the push from road to rail Denmark, has been buying certified green potential to reduce emission from the port due to the environmental advantages. The energy from offshore wind parks for half a by 20%. optimization of port operations and logistic decade. The green power is used to supply networks may therefore be first on the route small vessels, buildings and for fueling the The saying about ‘you can’t control what you to carbon neutrality. port’s fleet of electrical cars. However, this don’t measure’ is true, and the reduction in has only decreased the carbon emission by a carbon emissions in Port Esbjerg Conversely, the technological advantages of fraction, when compared to the greenhouse demonstrates that digitalization coupled the green transition may entail electrical gases from the 6,000 ships calling at the port with implementation will bring about a trucks and the arrival of fuel cells and the each year. greener port. Naturally, sustainability also hydrogen economy, while future ships may encompasses other operations. also require various e-fuels such as green To curb the emission, it was imperative to methanol, or ammonia. get an overview of the carbon footprint of Sustainable port operations the port at any one time and to understand The support of the green transition and where shore power systems could be Sustainability in ports includes many of the change to the logistic networks may deployed to maximize the environmental 17 United Nations Sustainable Development therefore be best influenced by making benefit. A live system presenting the Goals. Ports are generally ambassadors in green power and fuels available within the carbon footprint of the port at any one their relationship with their many ports. The difference between advocating given day. The possibility to connect stakeholders, such as the residents in change by doing thing differently, or making vessels to shore power systems when encroaching cities, and they contribute to current port activities greener requires possible or to deploy these where the economic prosperity and to securing decent ports to engage with the industrial largest impact can be assured is optimizing working conditions, but the environmental eco-systems. This reflection has also been carbon reductions. focus will be the overarching goal during the performed by Port Esbjerg, which has next decades. However, the question planned its path to carbon neutrality by In the pursuit of managing this complexity, remains about how much ports can impact engaging with industrial ecosystems. Port Esbjerg partnered with Honeywell to through their role in the logistics networks, develop the Enacto Carbon and Energy which they service, and how they go about Engaging with industrial ecosystems Management System. They are working making an impact. together, a global first for the maritime In Port Esbjerg, the industrial ecosystem industry, to implement a climate co- The emission from ports is caused by ships means that multiple energy systems can be operation designed to reduce carbon and equipment, but the incineration of ship evaluated. This requires adequate port emissions at the Danish port. waste is also a contributing factor. The same infrastructure, but when assessing the applies to the lack efficiency of roads into common direction for shipping biomass and 64 PES WIND

TALKING POINT ‘... one of the most significant industries for Port Esbjerg is offshore wind with its huge expansion plans for Europe.’ biogas, it also includes sustainable fuels. industry, but turbine installation vessels and of renewable energy is imperative, and this The biogas produced outside Port Esbjerg the fast crew transfer vessels throw up again demonstrates the position of Port gets its feedstock partly from fish farm other challenges. Esbjerg as one of the epicenters for offshore waste, but to actively merge the circular wind, where future expansion plans define economy into the industrial ecosystem the The future e-fuels for the ships may be future possibilities. ships servicing the offshore fish farms could methanol, ammonia, or hydrogen. The operate on biogas. industrial ecosystem will catapult these Sustainable infrastructure and sector possibilities. The ongoing shift towards coupling However, one of the most significant sustainable heating in the City of Esbjerg industries for Port Esbjerg is offshore wind allows for sector coupling, where waste heat Expansion projects in Port Esbjerg are with its huge expansion plans for Europe. from production can be sold and used in the conducted by using the sand dredged from This growth requires an increase in the municipality’s central heating systems, the channel, and the addition of the next 50 production of offshore wind turbines and thereby providing cost benefit for the hectares is about to commence. For Port many more ships will need to be deployed to companies operating within the spatial Esbjerg this means a continuing important cater for the industry’s future demands. Port cluster of Port Esbjerg. role in the offshore renewable industry. To Esbjerg engages fully in this. It’s plans for progress towards the complete power-to-x offshore wind production is driven by power This provides an advantage for establishing sector coupling hub, the industrial from offshore wind. Of course, the power: for power-to-x systems for ecosystem and other activities in the nearby technological gap for the green transition of production of e-fuels. Renewable energy is surroundings are included in the port’s ships needs a careful strategic approach. used to produce these fuels, and it may expansion plans. Port Esbjerg considers this therefore be argued that swift installation of to be an integral part of being a sustainable The electrification of ships is already used offshore wind farms is essential. Epitomized energy port. for ferries and is a hybrid solution for service in the drive for green transition in ports and operation vessels serving the offshore wind onboard ships, the access to a vast amount www.portesbjerg.dk WWW.PESWIND.COM 65

ASK THE EXPERTS Green energy, clients and personnel: top priorities 66 PES WIND

ASK THE EXPERTS Innovation, green energy, zero emissions, quality are just some of the things Tom Nevin, CEO at HST Marine, enthused about to PES. This relatively newcomer to offshore wind is a family owned business, focussed on going the extra mile for clients, whilst at the same time, looking after the needs of its personnel. It’s great to see a company thinking and acting on the needs of their workers. PES: Hi Tom it’s a real pleasure to welcome Tom Nevin you to PES Wind. To begin with would you like to introduce us to HST? PES: We’ve spoken about the crew, so let’s move onto the vessels, would you say fleet Tom Nevin: HST is a family-owned business diversification is important to you, if so why? which is just over 3 years old, as a management team we have over 60 years of TN: Fleet diversification is very important to ship management knowledge. We are a us. We like to offer our clients the expected quality driven innovative business that have HST quality with different operational profiles. invested greatly into the next generation of We have a standardised propulsion system offshore vessels. throughout our fleet with commonality, which helps with crew familiarisation, spare parts and PES: Of course, we know you work in maintenance planning. multi-sectors, but which do you feel are the most important and the ones you are With the new additions to the fleet, we still currently developing? keep the quality, but with the added benefits of zero emission running and extreme wave TN: Our main focus and expertise is in height performance. Renewables and our mission is to contribute towards the reduction of emissions from our PES: Safety must be a preoccupation for industry. However, we have worked on you as a company, are there any special coastal infrastructure projects, nearshore considerations, how do you ensure that surveys and oil & gas projects. We feel that everyone is kept up to date with the latest we will always save the end clients time and requirements? costs with our quality operations. TN: HST are very safety focussed, our recent PES: How do your charter operations work? charters to Shell in the Exploratory drilling Do you provide the crew and maintenance? market displayed our willingness to improve and adopt new standards which we have TN: Currently we only provide the crew and carried across to the renewable industry. the vessel. However, with the arrival of our Multicat new build we will be looking to provide Our management teams have a continuous charterers with ground-breaking solutions for training programme and deliver regular their offshore project requirements. training and safety updates to our crew PES: In this day and age with a focus on professionalism, how do you select your crew and then keep them working for you? TN: Our crew is hugely important to us and our crew retention statistics are over 98% retained. We have a long-standing relationship with G&L Maritime who supply us with a large number of personnel, who we have worked with for over 12 years. It’s more of a family environment and the standard of seafarer is exceptional. We also have a large number of directly employed seafarers and a cadet training programme, all of our recruitment is done via recommendations and we do not advertise on social media for crew. We invest time and funds in the right people and we are very lucky to have such a strong offshore team. WWW.PESWIND.COM 67

ASK THE EXPERTS members. Our safety culture runs or future projects you can tell us about? naturally a difficult environment and we throughout our company from the always have a ‘can do’ attitude whilst trying boardroom to the vessel. TN: We do have a number of very exciting to find the safest most cost-effective projects at the moment, we have placed an solutions for clients, without compromising PES: We would love to know about quality at order for 2 Bartech 30 vessels, which we quality. With the systems we have on vessels HST, could you tell us about this? believe is a ‘game changing’ design which will we work open book with our clients, ensuring exceed performance of all comparable vessels our monitoring systems can be fully analysed TN: Quality has been a real focus of HST’s in market with a significant fuel saving. on both sides, to optimise operational from the very outset of the company, we had efficiency on the projects. witnessed too often people not going the This is in addition to our 2 Chartwell 24-h extra mile and doing the ‘bare minimum’ and vessels with the latter being fitted with the PES: It would be interesting to know where the whole of the HST team will always go over FOSS system for additional fuel savings. your main clients are based and if this has and above for our clients. These vessels will have an impressive battery changed over the years? range due to the CPP system allowing us to We ensure the added extras are there for the optimise the design fully. TN: The majority of our clients are based in technicians to enjoy some extra comfort, Europe however we do have customers and whether that be high-speed internet, PES: Why do you think clients should partners based in the USA, Taiwan and business class seating or even just a good choose your solutions, what added value do further afield. With our recent JV cup of coffee. you offer? announcement with Boluda France for the French offshore wind sector, we are very PES: Are you currently working any projects, TN: We are working in an industry that is excited to work with a new client base there. PES: Are there are any other markets you would like to break into? TN: HST Workboats has only recently been established and we are actively working in the coastal workboat sector. Later this year we will be taking delivery of our Multicat 2309 from Damen. Our sights are firmly set on the marine civils sector, tidal/wave generation and floating wind. PES: COVID-19 made 2020 a difficult year for many companies, what impact did it have on you, as a company and do you see that changing as we move forward in 2021? TN: With HST operating the larger Crew Transfer Vessels we were relatively well placed to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. Our management team worked very well with our clients to ensure our vessels and crew were COVID safe. The main change to our operation was the lack of client and site visits, but we quickly adapted and like many 68 PES WIND

Hybrid CTV with high bollard push, OUR SERVICES high performance with zero emissions mode, 2021 delivery - UK designed, HST Marine services include the following: UK built, UK owned and operated. • Crew transfer of technicians for construction and maintenance of offshore platforms • Cargo transport to offshore platforms • ROV support • Refueling of generators, maintenance and recovery • Dive support • Survey & Guard vessel operations • Foundation cleaning HST are proud to be at the forefront of innovation! www.hst-marine.com  [email protected]  +44 2039 761109

ASK THE EXPERTS ‘We have an extensive new-building programme that is currently underway that will offer our clients the leading and greenest technology available in the industry.’ others, had regular video calls, which worked very well. PES: Where do you see HST in particular and the offshore wind industry in general, in 5 years’ time? TN: That’s a tough question! With regard to HST, we will be actively decarbonising our fleet and supply chain, as this is critical going forward to all involved. We have an extensive new-building programme that is currently underway that will offer our clients the leading and greenest technology available in the industry. The offshore wind industry in general is already on this path with our industry colleagues making great strides to reduce emissions and streamline operations. In 5 years’ time we see it as a greener, more efficient industry with real innovators leading the way and HST very much at the forefront of this. www.hst-marine.com 70 PES WIND

BORSSELE III & IV OWF OWF OWF OWF BORSSELE I & II MERKUR DEUTSCHE BUCHT VEJA MATE Helicopter Logistics Deutsche Bucht Trianel Windpark Borkum I Helicopter Logistics Vessel Agency Vessel Agency O&M Base Merkur Gemini Vessel Agency Port Logistics Helicopter Logistics YOUR INTERFACE FOR OFFSHORE Ten Noorden van de Waddeneilanden WIND LOGISTICS FROM STRATEGIC Borkum Ri grund II SITUATED HUBS Vessel Agency IJmuiden Ver Hollandse Kust E Hollandse Kust Noord Hollandse Kust D Egmond aan Zee Hollandse Princess Amalia Kust West Luchterduinen Hollandse Kust F Hollandse Hollandse Kust Zuid Kust Zuid Vessel Agency Helicopter Logistics Commissioning Borssele IV Borssele I Helicopter Logistics Helicopter Logistics Borssele III Borssele II [email protected] Helicopter Logistics Helicopter Logistics GEMINI WINDPARK OWF OWF OWF TRIANEL BORKUM BORKUM II RIFFGRUND II OWF VEJA MATE

TALKING POINT Multiple solutions from one single source Windea Jules Verne at OWF Merkur 72 PES WIND

TALKING POINT DHSS has become a well-known, high-level player in the services it provides for the offshore wind industry over the last five years. The company was founded in 1997, as a ships agency for clients mainly working in the seismic industry, searching for oil & gas. Nowadays it is a full service provider to the offshore energy industries, with offshore wind as its core business. While still assisting O&G related companies in their transition period towards a net-zero emission environment. Vessel agency and port operations waste of the offshore wind, subsea and survey vessel fleets. Modern handling equipment at A wide variety of logistic services for all sites to ensure precise, efficient and safe equipment and crews plus add on activities, cargo handling is ready to deliver, a vital makes DHSS the ‘Amazon’ for the offshore support to the offshore energy industry. energy industry: delivering a wide range of qualified services from A to Z. As a leading logistics service provider in the offshore energy industry, with a firm focus Our success is built on being our clients’ on supporting operations for the Southern representatives on the ground, acting in their North Sea area, DHSS has worked tirelessly best interests on every issue, 24 hours a day. in partnership with several renewable energy Integrity is one of our five core values and a customers to ensure that maximum cost cornerstone of our business principles. efficiencies have been achieved wherever possible. Without compromise to safety and Our culture and philosophy are to always service delivery. address our clients’ logistics challenges with a partnership approach, utilizing the key We understand our customers’ needs and concepts of ‘The DHSS Way’. Providing work out port call plans in detail, in order to vessel agency services, port logistics and assure a port call duration is the absolute warehouse management, helicopter minimized. Outgoing cargo and spare parts operations and coordinating solutions that are ready at the quayside to be lifted on will improve our clients’ operations now and, board, while back loads are lifted off the in the future, so they can focus on their core vessel and taken back into our support base business offshore. warehouse management system. Via key services we create strategic value for Service providers are ready to attend as soon our clients. Our specialists understand, act as the gangway is down to carry out their jobs and solve logistics challenges safely, quickly and the vessel is cleared for Customs and and efficiently. Immigration before the vessel is physically tied up at the quayside. All husbandry Clients’ eyes and ears services are booked to make sure the vessel, along with its crew goes back to work, on DHSS takes away the customers’ burdens by time, with a satisfied smile. being their permanent eyes and ears, in ports, coordinating berthing, stevedores, Warehousing transport and warehousing, arranging customs and immigration formalities, As a full-service provider, we manage organizing security, liaising with pilots and warehouses and transportation for in-time Port Authorities as well as collaborating with deliveries wherever clients like to receive a wide variety of the supply-chain. Attending their equipment. With hubs, which are to the needs of the client, vessel master and geographically well positioned related to the crew, providing one single point of contact, offshore sites in the North Sea, DHSS is its with an extensive qualified network. clients’ bollard for safe mooring, qualified and efficient equipment deliveries. With 3PL Our support bases provide a foundation from warehouse management for free circulation, which DHSS is able to support and offer a as well as bonded goods, client equipment comprehensive logistical package, with the and spare parts. core concept of being the gateway between onshore and offshore. The range of terminal Container depots and quayside services provided by our professional teams includes loading, In addition to warehousing and customs discharge and handling cargo, equipment and services, DHSS has a wide variety of WWW.PESWIND.COM 73

TALKING POINT DNV2.7-1, offshore certified, Cargo Carrying becoming more important. Helicopters are trusted partner of the European customs Units, at its facilities at each port related able to bring out technicians, even in harsh authorities, allowed to receive, store and ship support base in the Netherlands. In close weather conditions. customs related goods. With in-house cooperation with Cargostore, a worldwide Customs experts, compliance is guaranteed supplier of CCU’s for offshore projects, There is more than flying involved, when it and benefits are gained, including less these units are available at the quayside, comes to helicopter operations, so our physical and administrative inspections, but within walking distance of the vessels aviation experts, with years of operational also the seamless movement of goods across alongside. experience in offshore aviation, plan and international borders by DHSS. A major topic coordinate helicopter flights from A to Z. All in the offshore energy industry, with assets This is an example of our collaborative logistics around each flight, from passenger in international waters. approach with the supply chain, with DHSS pickups at their based locations, manifesting as the ‘stage director’ of a full package of and planning flights, to handing out PPE and We strive to outperform the expectation of services to assist operators in their work chartering the physical helicopter, we deliver key stakeholders. We have to earn trust offshore. We do the same with various other the full package for offshore helicopter flights every day and always remember it is easy to companies in the supply chain and work with in Europe. Via its helicopter coordination lose. We have to deliver what we commit to, only the best-in-class providers center (HCC), the control tower for aviation and ensure that excellence is the standard of services, DHSS guarantees that technicians everything we do, and how we do it. Helicopter operations and their cargo will arrive at offshore assets in time, safely and efficiently. Whether they Utilization Getting to work by helicopter is of great need to go vessels for crew change, offshore importance in the offshore energy industry, service stations or to be hoisted onto a With the aim of maximum utilization of each in combination with vessel operations. With turbine to carry our repairs and/or services. helicopter flight to and from offshore the fast-growing development of green installations and wind farm turbines, DHSS is energy output by each turbine, which in a Trusted partner using its shared flight concept wherever short period of time has grown from 3.5Mw possible. This concept is a great success, towards 15Mw soon, the essence of uptime is As an AEO certified company, we are a gained in cooperation with our Offshore Wind clients. It results in reduced number of flights, minimizing the environmental impact and a cost reducing evidence for operators. DHSS goes beyond and take the shared concept further in the near future, by supporting our offshore wind clients globally. The commitment of DHSS in the overall port logistics in combination with the expertise of helicopter operations, makes the company being the single point of contact, with a complete overview of the logistic needs of operators for their crews and cargo, during offshore projects and in the operation & maintenance phase of their assets at sea. Safety culture A strong safety culture is the key to high quality and safe performance. Top priority is placed on providing a safe and healthy workplace. This commitment is consistent with our corporate objective to conduct business in an ethical, socially, and environmentally responsible manner. An important aspect of our operations is security. All our port facilities are situated at an International Ship and Port Facility (ISPS) compliant area. Our airport facilities comply with the highest security standards, hence the reason DHSS is a certified airfreight agent, audited by Dutch Immigration. Whether working out of one of our marine support bases that are security (ISPS) compliant, warehousing facilities, or the control tower for helicopter flights, the highest level of protection is a fundamental element of the services provided by DHSS. This commitment is supported by a safety infrastructure that is second to none and spans every aspect of the business. We are committed to having an incident- free work environment, minimizing HSE risks to ALARP (As Low as Reasonably Practicable), and delivering high quality 74 PES WIND

TALKING POINT Wind Innovation Heli crew-x services on time, within budget and at Blade Loading competitive cost that fully meet the applicable requirements. Maintenance and improvement of the DHSS Management System, which is designed to the standards and principles for Quality Management, Health & Safety Management, and Environmental Management is a continuous process. Unburden customers We strive to be involved in every step of the entire life cycle of offshore assets. From surveys of offshore prospects, installation, cable-laying and commissioning to the operation & maintenance phase. DHSS has the overview of required logistic needs for vessel & helicopter operations, which are strengthen each other, to unburden offshore operators, in the most efficient way. We strive to continuously improve quality, delivery, responsiveness and reliability to build high levels of customer satisfaction. www.dhss.nl WWW.PESWIND.COM 75

TALKING POINT © Shutterstock Wind turbine fires: expect the unexpected Words: Angela Krcmar, Global Sales Manager, Wind, Firetrace Nobody expects a wind turbine to catch fire, but it happens. Unfortunately, it is unknown just how much it happens, and this opens the industry up to significant losses due to a lack of best practice when managing fire risk. As found in our recent report, ‘In the Line of In a cost-competitive, optimization-driven turbines for low frequency events is Fire’, there is a serious lack of data and market like wind power, who can blame them? considered financially unjustifiable. transparency around fire hazards at wind farms. Often, the logic goes that a lack of data With the pressure to reduce LCOE and But as the Texas freeze has shown, the must mean that it’s a tiny risk, and one that will development costs for wind turbines, unexpected can hit at any moment for power never happen on your own wind farm. corners can often get cut and protecting producers, and when it does, it can spell 76 PES WIND

TALKING POINT disaster for energy providers. unimaginable if we hadn’t already seen the Angela Krcmar role that turbines can play in starting fires on The point of safety is to take proactive steps bushland in recent years. to reduce the chances of damage to assets or health. When the risk is unknown, due to a After a well-known Californian utility went lack of a formal system in place to collect, bankrupt after electrical sparks fled from measure, and share data around wind turbine transmission lines, causing wildfires, it shows fires, wind farm owners and operators have that the motivator for preventing serious fire no baseline to form best practice. accidents doesn’t end at altruism. A major environmental disaster could, and has, For your assets to be fully covered and to forced the closure of several energy prevent a huge loss of capital or worse, life, companies in the past. The best and only way developers need to expect wind turbine fires to avoid that is by covering your assets with to occur. the most thorough health and safety standards possible, by expecting disasters to Imagine a 150 meter-high, titanium-based happen and investing in your safety. giant propelling three sharp and curved fiberglass blades at speeds as fast as a You might be thinking the chances of a wind Formula 1 car. Now imagine it on fire. turbine causing a serious environmental disaster is very low. And you’d be right, the The threat this poses to animals, forests, chances are small. people, or other turbines would be © Shutterstock However, the average loss per fire incident can be as high as $7-8 million dollars and that, the figure is expected to significantly rise with the expansion of larger, more advanced turbines. As most turbine fires start in the nacelle, a part of the machine behind the gearbox, only fire suppression systems are capable of putting the fire out once it’s started. The installation of fire suppression systems at three predictable ignition sources in onshore wind turbines typically costs less than $30,000, less than 1% of the average installation cost of a 3MW onshore wind turbine and less than 0.6% of the average cost of a fire loss. In our ‘Complete Guide to Wind Turbine Fire Protection’, which explored the cost and benefit of managing fire risk, we suggest that owner operators should prepare for 1-2 catastrophic fire incidents on an average wind farm with 150 turbines to prevent financial losses to your company but also reputational losses. There’s an element of duty to the rest of the wind market too, including your competitors. Every time there’s a wind turbine fire, the reputation of wind, as an energy source and market, can be, and is often severely damaged. Insurance rates also increase as the number of claims are paid out. Though, you may only recall a few turbine fires personally, if owners and operators don’t act and implement the correct fire safety standards to their assets, the reputational risk for global wind increases. Global wind capacity is expected to increase 8 fold for offshore wind to 234GW and 3 fold for onshore wind to 1.8TW by the end of the decade. If fire hazards aren’t taken seriously, how many turbine fires globally will we see? An increase of global installed wind power from 650GW today, to over 2.1TW in 2030 according to the Global Wind Energy Council. WWW.PESWIND.COM 77

TALKING POINT © Shutterstock Our report, ‘In the Line of Fire’ outlines how a Exxon Valdez oil spill. Having an overworked, deniers in general, the renewables sector lack of transparency into fire incidents has understaffed and unhappy workforce is one of needs to keep public perception as positive held the industry back from setting up a the leading factors that can influence the as can be. baseline to improve best practice. chances of fire at a wind turbine. We saw this happen with the Texas freeze Owners and operators are making fire risks Unfortunately, there’s a gap between the event that disabled 16GW of renewable based off the latest available data, which is at MW’s installed globally, and the number of capacity. Wind turbines were often, and least five years old and hasn’t accounted for skilled technicians available to maintain wrongly, accused of being responsible for the new and evolving risks. these assets. There are currently 60,000 energy loss, tainted as an unstable source of turbines in operation in the US totalling energy, even though in reality the outages For example, wind turbines have adopted 109.9GW, but only around 7,000 technicians were due to issues with natural gas supplies carbon fiber blades to decrease weight and to maintain that capacity. and the grid’s isolation. increase production. While an effective material to lengthen the lifetime of an asset, This presents challenges for the wind sector Just one turbine fire, or accident, is all it takes they still pose a significant hazard in the event regarding the proper maintenance and health for a whole new narrative around wind power of a fire, as carbon composite dust can be and safety of wind turbines, subsequently to be created. What may, in reality, be an even more explosive than previous designs. having an impact on the chances of fire risk. isolated event, can be exaggerated and generalized across the whole wind sector. So, And it’s not just the technology that needs to Especially as many wind turbines across the it is vital that the image attached to wind be adopted and monitored for fire safety. world reach the second half of their lifespan. turbines remains ‘green’ and ‘zero-emissions’ Having the right people in place to maintain Currently, 7% globally are over 15 years old, instead of ‘dangerous’ and ‘a fire hazard’. wind turbines can be as important as the and 28% are in Europe. Without enough regulation that puts them there. technicians available and correct fire With so many uncertainties around fire suppression systems in order, the chances of risk, how is this being regulated now, and In an industry striving for the optimization of fire hazards are increased yet again, as as more incidents occur, how might everything, combined with the dropping unmaintained turbines have an increased regulations change? LCOE that many markets face, forcing likelihood of sparking fires. developers to lower costs and improve In the United States, many states mandate technology simultaneously. This often But the immediate threat to people, wildlife that all fires are reported to local encourages developers to reduce costs in and financial structures isn’t the only threat authorities, but this reporting lacks detail areas that aren’t related to the technology, that fires pose. Wind energy already about the precise nature and cause of the such as the staff. possesses a somewhat, fragile, public fire. These are often categorized as building perception in some areas. With occasional fires, and so wind turbine fires are never Most energy disasters have actually been lobby groups against the visual pollution that recorded as such, with the results of fire caused by human error, take Chernobyl or the wind turbines come with, or climate change investigation kept strictly between the 78 PES WIND

TALKING POINT ‘There are currently 60,000 turbines in operation in the US totalling 109.9GW, but only around 7,000 technicians to maintain that capacity.’ © Shutterstock developer and their insurer. Therefore, the However, given the mass roll-out of wind About Firetrace risk management lessons that could be that is expected across the US, wind farms learnt through the detail, aren’t available to could soon join nuclear and coal plants in Firetrace designs and manufactures other owners, exposing them to similar risks having to adhere to these standards, or face automatic fire suppression systems and underplaying the number of turbine major fines. that keep your business, people, and fires that occur. equipment safe. Based out of Owners and operators of wind farms need to Scottsdale, Arizona, USA, Firetrace has Regulations need to catch up with the be prepared for that change. Though fire global sales and support capability, changing energy system. And though some events in wind turbines may seem isolated and with over 250,000 systems installed in countries and some local jurisdictions have unlikely, it is quite clear that the risk is real and 75 countries. some regulations in place, proper steps are highly dangerous to both life and financial yet to be taken by leading nations. For agreements. Due to the low likelihood of Firetrace is owned and operated by example, in the US, though the National Fire hazard, wind hasn’t prepared itself for fire, Halma plc, a global group of life-saving Protection Agency provides until owners and operators can guarantee companies. Halma companies provide recommendations for turbine fire safety, turbines have a 0% chance of catching fire, the innovative solutions to many of the key these are not mandatory as they are for industry must expect the unexpected. problems facing the world today, from conventional power stations. water security to preventable blindness. www.firetrace.com WWW.PESWIND.COM 79

TALKING POINT ABP’s Lowestoft Eastern Energy Facility How can we make the most of the UK’s green industrial revolution? Words: Andy Reay, Group Head of Commercial (Offshore Wind), Associated British Ports (ABP) As the UK accelerates its journey towards net zero, the offshore wind industry has emerged as a key driver of the green industrial revolution. Associated British Ports (ABP) is investing to meet the industry’s requirements by providing state-of-the-art port infrastructure and creating favourable conditions for energy clusters, which will benefit the wider economy. 80 PES WIND

TALKING POINT Why is the offshore wind industry vital? wind turbine supplier Siemens Gamesa Andy Reay Renewable Energy has been manufacturing The offshore wind industry is particularly offshore wind turbine blades since 2016 and estuary on the East Coast of England, making important to the UK because of the country’s has facilitated the load out of over 2GW of it ideally placed for access to operational and commitment to a legally-binding 2050 net turbines from the 54-hectare, £310 million planned offshore wind farms in the North zero target. Whatever mix of renewables is state-of-the-art production and assembly Sea. It is already home to Ørsted’s East Coast deployed to achieve this, we will still need a facility. Building on this experience, the hub along with RWE and XceCo’s O&M bases lot of offshore wind energy to support it, with company is exploring other opportunities and has the space, facilities and flexibility to required levels expected to be between 65 across its estate of 21 ports to attract more suit future offshore requirements. The port and 125 GW. To put this into context, the manufacturers into the UK. has also recently been chosen by Offshore amount of installed capacity is currently However, when it comes to operations and Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult as its new around 10 GW, so there is a long way to go in maintenance (O&M), there are still several O&M Centre of Excellence to develop order to achieve our goals. important pieces of the puzzle missing. What research and innovation projects to improve we need to see is innovation in O&M facilities the way offshore wind farms are operated There is clearly an opportunity for offshore to satisfy growing market demand. The and maintained. wind companies to play a leading role in the challenge for the UK ports industry is that it UK’s green industrial revolution. The tends to deprioritise speculative building in The Port of Barrow also plays a key role in Government has also strengthened the favour of projects with existing specific and serving the offshore energy industry in the market by announcing its ambitions for a well-defined use. That is always a difficulty Irish Sea and in East Anglia, the Port of green recovery, in a series of public policy when it comes to the timing of investments. Lowestoft has emerged as the East of documents. As a result, there is a whole At ABP, we aim to address this problem by England’s Energy Hub supporting host of different projects ready to bring acting early and developing projects with developments in the Southern North Sea. additional offshore wind capacity to the future requirements in mind. market and The Crown Estate continues to Whilst we have historically supported a Investing today to meet evolving lease new seabed rights. variety of energy industries, including the requirements import of coal, biomass and bulk energy As the UK’s leading and best-connected port liquids, we are also shifting our focus towards Over the next ten years, a significant operator, ABP is an ideal partner for offshore renewable sources of energy. ABP has proportion of new offshore wind wind energy businesses. We have over 30 identified offshore wind amongst other developments will be located around Dogger years’ experience in supporting developers strategic areas for future growth, such as through the full offshore wind project hydrogen and carbon capture and storage. lifecycle. One of the biggest offshore wind Playing a key role in supporting the offshore projects the company has supported over wind industry is important because it will the years is Green Port Hull, where leading solidify our place at the forefront of green innovation within the ports industry. ABP: the number one host of O&M bases in the UK ABP is the number one host of O&M bases in the UK, providing infrastructure for O&M facilities and the ongoing operations and maintenance of offshore wind farms in Barrow, Grimsby and Lowestoft. The Port of Grimsby is the largest O&M port in the world and is located on the Humber Green Port Hull WWW.PESWIND.COM 81

TALKING POINT ABP’s Port of Grimsby created 360m of berthing space for offshore wind support companies and help simultaneous use by three SOVs and created draw them to the area. I think that investing Bank, off the East Coast, at Hornsea, off the over 1 acre of new infill land. We will also be in the port infrastructure of the existing O&M Humber Coast and in the Southern North deepening the Harbour Approach channel, energy cluster in Lowestoft will contribute to Sea. We are seeing a concentration of large creating the berth pockets needed for the town’s prosperity, creating a new growth offshore wind energy projects off the East flexible operations. pathway for the Port with important Anglian Coast, with the involvement of In addition, quayside will be constructed to implications for the surrounding area. significant industry players such as Vattenfall deal with high point loads and provide a total and Scottish Power Renewables. of 8 acres of open storage and marshalling A bright future for the Port of Lowestoft space needed by key customers. Around Currently, port infrastructure and 5,000 sqft of new office space with direct Economic impact work in 2018 demonstrated capabilities to support these large future quayside access and parking is also expected. that the Port of Lowestoft contributes £30m wind farms are limited. To address this The second aspect of LEEF will create new to the economy annually and supports challenge, ABP will be investing in a new capacity at the western side of the Outer around 580 local jobs. This is a role that is set Lowestoft Eastern Energy Facility (LEEF) Harbour. When delivered, both projects will to grow with a rise in activity, new project, which will significantly upgrade the complete the modernisation of Lowestoft investments and new customers. In recent capability and capacity of the Port of Outer Harbour’s marine facilities, creating key years the Port of Lowestoft has completed a Lowestoft. The project will enable us to build UK capabilities for the journey to net zero. two-year contract to support the port infrastructure to meet the offshore Creating an O&M energy cluster construction of the Galloper offshore wind wind industry’s current and future demands. The LEEF project will not only bring additional farm, a 353MW project located 30km off the One of the key requirements for an O&M capacity but can also encourage supply chain coast of Suffolk. facility is its geographical proximity to the companies to locate in Lowestoft in order to wind farm it is looking to serve and with its support O&M operations. We’re working with In addition, the port is now home to the O&M space and strategic position, the Port of local stakeholders to create an innovative base for the Greater Gabbard offshore wind Lowestoft provides an ideal base for this. environment that will be attractive to other farm, which is a 504MW located 23km off the coast of Suffolk in England. The long-term ABP’s LEEF project represents a step change ABP’s Port of Lowestoft collaboration between SSE and ABP on this in our ability to service customers in the project began in 2012 and is projected to growing Southern North Sea energy business, continue to positively contribute to the local by re-engineering the existing quay and economy for decades to come. In 2019, creating the modern infrastructure needed to Scottish Power Renewables opened a new support a rapidly changing energy industry in operations and maintenance building, which a growing regional economy. The project will will support its 714MW East Anglia ONE ensure that the Lowestoft berths can support offshore wind farm at the Port of Lowestoft’s larger vessels and will also provide a site that is Hamilton Dock. suitable for O&M bases or laydown areas as part of the construction phase of these The port’s offer is complemented by Orbis offshore wind farms. We recognise that during Energy and PowerPark, where key offshore the construction phase of offshore wind energy developers, operators and service projects multiple construction vessels will providers are located, including SSE, need port access in order to load on mission ScottishPower Renewables, SLP and Turner equipment and transfer their crews off and on. Iceni. The PowerPark also provides a base Therefore, LEEF will enable us to provide not for a number of businesses in the just O&M but also construction support. engineering, marine and fishing industries. Strengthened by ABP’s LEEF project, which LEEF Outer Harbour is tailored to the offshore industry’s latest requirements, the Port of Lowestoft The LEEF project is centred around the Outer provides an ever more competitive package Harbour East in the Port of Lowestoft and is a for offshore wind customers. major opportunity that will require around £25m of investment. When complete in 2023, www.abports.co.uk/ we will have replaced the existing quay wall, 82 PES WIND



ASK THE EXPERTS Our new Smart Tensioning System (STS) makes a complex process very easy to perform Eliminate the risk, use smart bolting solutions Calum Urquhart, Global Business Manager, Energy at Atlas Copco spoke enthusiastically to PES about smart bolting. For sure everyone has been hit by the pandemic but this innovative company, with a strong emphasis on R&D, supporting the customer and sustainability have found new ways of working, which will carry on after the pandemic. 84 PES WIND

ASK THE EXPERTS increased our focus significantly in recent Calum Urquhart years. Historically our focus was on manufacturing industries such as electric tools and battery tools are becoming automotive, electronics and aerospace, more common as alternatives, due to their where we provide assembly tooling, error improved performance and flexibility, but proofing and quality assurance solutions for overall, the tools used in the field are done so quality or safety critical applications on based on historic reference, or contractors’ production lines within factories. ageing tooling fleets. As the wind industry has developed in In Atlas Copco we took the decision around 7 recent years we have also worked with major years ago to provide all the core bolting turbine and equipment OEMs within their solutions used by the Wind Industry, as we facilities providing the same type of wanted to become a strategic partner to our solutions. In recent years, as technology has customers, and as such we felt it is critical to be developed in the turbines, we have seen an able to offer the best product offer regardless increased demand for quality control, and of technology so that we could offer the best error proofing in the field, during the application advice to our customers, rather construction, commissioning, and than promoting what we have. maintenance of wind turbines. This decision of course meant that we This has led us to increase our strategic focus needed to invest more heavily in R&D, but on the wind energy sector with an increased that was a strategic decision we took. As a market presence globally, expanded product result, today we can offer a full range of both portfolio to include all bolting solutions used Industrial and Intelligent solutions for all by the wind sector, and to invest heavily on product groups, i.e., hydraulic wrenches, bolt innovative new solutions to meet the specific tensioners, electric and battery nutrunners, demands of the Wind industry. PES: Could you tell us about the bolting technologies you use in the wind industry? CU: As mentioned, we have been supplying electrically controlled tools to the wind OEMs in the factories for many years. Where typically you find electrically controlled nutrunners, with integrated transducers and intelligence to secure, the correct process is followed and the results can be logged and/or analysed for quality control purposes. This is commonplace on most factory floors today. However, in the field it is rather different. Traditionally, tools such as hydraulic torque wrenches, and bolt tensioners have been used for many years, because they were specified in the initial process, despite the fact that the technology is very old. Today PES: Hi Calum it’s a pleasure to welcome We have a full range of industrial and intelligent bolting solutions, but the clear trend we see is the demand for you back to PES Wind. As always, we have smart solutions many new readers, so it would be great if could you give us a brief history of Atlas Copco. Calum Urquhart: Sure. Atlas Copco is a global, industrial company based in Stockholm, Sweden, with almost 40,000 employees and customers in more than 180 countries. We are pioneers and technology drivers, and industries all over the world rely on our expertise. Our market-leading compressors, vacuum solutions, generators, pumps, power tools and assembly systems can be found everywhere. PES: Of course, we know you are a global, well established company, working in many sectors, but which do you feel are the most important and the ones you are currently developing? CU: The energy sector is an area where have WWW.PESWIND.COM 85

ASK THE EXPERTS With full inhouse design, engineering and manufacturing we have the ability to be agile and respond quickly to customers needs even manual torque wrenches. for the tool, which has been developed documentation procedures, where a specifically for field use and will allow the technician physically records some data on Additionally, with our inhouse engineering tools to run even harder for longer, which is paper, or perhaps today electronically, by team, we have the capability to customise very important during the construction inputting on a device such as a tablet. solutions for specific needs as required. phase for example. By relying on people, the whole process PES: We note that some of your latest PES: Ae you able to tell us anything in becomes open to risk. Risk of mistake due to solutions are enabling customers to work 3 regards to your customized wind energy human error, to equipment malfunction, and or 4 times faster than using previous tensioners and the potential benefits? also risk due to external demands, such as methods? This must be very well received? time pressure, extreme weather conditions. CU: In the wind sector, the turbine designs These may not be deliberate, but it is well CU: Yes, it is. We repeatedly hear from our are changing, and evolving and there are also known that even with the best trained customers that they want to make their different turbines used in different locations people and the best intentions that bolting processes, ‘quicker, safer and so it’s quite common for our customers to mistakes can happen. smarter’, and so we use this as a guide for require a customized design i.e. something product development. An example of this is based on a standard product that exists By using ‘smart tools’, this risk can be our Tensor Revo electric nutrunner system. today, but with some modifications. minimised and even eliminated. By taking This kind of tool has an integrated torque many of the decisions away from the human, transducer and error proofing capability to At our Global Bolting Centre in UK, we have a and enabling the tool to dictate what ensure that the process is done correctly dedicated engineering team that works on happens, you immediately increase and that the specifications are achieved customized solutions. Having our own team consistency and predictability. Tools with and logged. for design and manufacturing means we can sensors can monitor their performance and respond quickly and be agile in development, optimise their service life, therefore reducing However, the real competitive advantage of alongside our customers. This ensures that operational costs. Tools that provide this product is that the tightening speed is the customer gets a solution that is onscreen guidance are intuitive and reduce more than 3 times faster than anything else on optimized for them, rather than training demands, thus, reducing costs and the market. If you can imagine tightening tower compromising on a standard solution. maximising productivity. section bolts in a turbine where there are many bolts to be tightened and process time is PES: What are the advantages of smart Using integrated sensors to measure critical, due to the expensive cost of cranes, bolting to the end user, compared to the different parameters such as torque, load, and the limitations of weather windows. more traditional solutions and in terms of angle, pressure, guides the operator to use, efficiency and cost? follow the correct process during bolting The Tensor Revo tool can achieve such high work, and so prevent mistakes from performance due to 2 factors. First the CU: For us, when we talk about ‘Smart happening at the time of operation, or high-performance motor technology we Bolting’, we mean the using bolting solutions alternatively record when mistakes have have developed inhouse, over many years that have sensors and intelligence built in happened and so reduce the need for further and secondly how the speed is applied that can enable a process to be completed in quality control checks, and even reduce during tightening. a quicker, or safer way, with less risk of errors. service demands. This also enables the possibility to record In other products on the market, tools may information on that process that can be used Furthermore, having full control of the slow down as the load increases on a joint, or make improvements or track quality. bolting process through monitoring and if the joint stiffness changes whereas in control of the tools used, means that Tensor Revo the tool runs at the speed it is This is a huge change from traditional bolting quality defects in other parts of the programmed for so there is no drop off in solutions which for the most part have relied process can be detected. For example, if a tightening speeds, resulting in a very on either human judgement or skill of the bolt is defective due to inaccurate high-speed tightening operation that is operator to ensure that the results were tolerances in the bolt design, a smart tool repeatable time after time. achieved. Traditionally, to validate processes can detect this and highlight there is an had been done correctly, this would involve, issue at the time of application. This could What is really exciting about this product is and still does in most cases, manual that we are about to launch a new drive unit 86 PES WIND

ASK THE EXPERTS Major OEMs use smart tooling in their assembly lines today, with full error proofing and data capture programming the tool which requires no expertise and can be used with any mobile enable a quality defect to be identified at all employees and significant business phone, in any location. This product will add source, and before something fails in the partners sign-off compliance to our Code of increased uptime and ease of use to the future, potentially saving huge sums of Conduct yearly. already impressive tightening performance money and reputation. of the Tensor Revo tools. PES: Are you currently working on any new PES: Sustainability is high on your list of projects, or are there any future projects in The second product launch this year will be priorities for you as a company, how is this the pipeline you can tell us about? for our ‘Smart Tensioning System’ (STS) This reflected in your products and work ethos? is really exciting as it has been created by CU: Yes. Innovation is one our company core using the experience and technology we CU: Sustainability is something that can be values, and we continue to invest for the developed over many years in seen right across our business in the way we future. Currently we are working on 2 very manufacturing, and applying this to the bolt operate and in our products. We have a long exciting new product launches this year. tensioning process. history of working with our customers using our products to ensure good ergonomics and The first, I mentioned earlier which is a new We have developed a highly innovative safe operations. We have also worked to drive unit for our Tensor Revo electric solution for controlling the tensioning increase our products’ energy-efficiency, nutrunners. The new unit is called PF XC and process by guiding the operator, and and quite recently started measuring their is optimised for field-based work. We have recording data in a really simple and intuitive carbon footprints. developed a new robust housing, which is package. Effectively making a complex easily transported to any location where process really simple. We have a group goal to reduce our bolting work has to be carried out. products carbon dioxide emissions. We take As turbines get larger, and the designs are good ethical behavior seriously, for example We have also created a really simple HMI for optimised even more, there is an increase in demand for bolt tensioning in the wind sector. This runs parallel to an increased requirement for more process control and data collection. We are really looking forward to launching this product as we believe it will really transform the market. PES: Why do you think clients should choose your solutions, what added value do you offer? CU: As mentioned already, there are many technology benefits when using our solutions and no two customers are the same. All bolting equipment users have their own pain points and their own business drivers. The key for us is to work closely with our customers to solve their individual needs. We aim to deliver superior productivity and Our recently launched smart high torque battery tool can significantly reduce process times for service operations WWW.PESWIND.COM 87

ASK THE EXPERTS We see a future where all bolting technologies can have one user experience: taking the smart factory to the field the lowest cost of ownership, because this wind turbine manufacturing in both Europe for many companies, what impact did it translates into real business results for our and in China. This is really interesting as the have on you, as a company and do you see customers. We are a provider of premium offshore turbines are getting bigger and that changing as we move forward in 2021? products and services and so our customers more complex, and so the needs are expect a strong return on their investment changing. We see this as an opportunity for CU: Like all companies we have had to adapt. and we feel that we have proven this over new technology to be implemented so it’s an We have made changes in how we conduct our many years, which is why we are partners exciting time. business and how we interact with customers, with the leaders in the many industries we but what was most impressive was the way we are present in. PES: Are there are any other markets you adapted and so quickly. We kept a high level of would like to break into? customer engagement with digital tools and PES: It would be interesting to know where found new ways to interact, which will remain your main wind industry clients are based, CU: We are a truly global company, with with us as we go forward. are they mainly offshore, onshore or both customers in 180 countries around the world and if this has changed over the years? so we are already present in most locations. We also realised that as the recovery period However, our main focus right now is to will take a long time, stable and strong CU: It is still the case for us today that the increase our presence in the field-based suppliers will be critical for all companies. majority of our business is in the onshore operations of the wind industry, i.e. With this in mind, we have continued to sector, with major markets for us for example construction, commission and maintenance, invest in R&D, as we believe that innovation in USA, which is still dominated by onshore wherever they may be. Our mission is to ‘bring drives growth. We want to be ready to bring wind for the time being. the smart factory to the field’ and with our new products to the market to help our global footprint we feel we can be a strong customers, as they recover from Covid19. However, in recent years as offshore has partner for wind OEMs to make that happen. grown, our business has also evolved and PES: Where do you see Atlas Copco in today we supply a lot of tooling for offshore PES: COVID-19 made 2020 a difficult year particular and the offshore wind industry in general, in 5 years’ time? Revo with PFXC is 3 times faster than any other product in the market CU: The offshore wind industry will continue to grow and to expand its footprint globally with North America coming onstream to follow Europe and China and it will become a truly global industry. As the turbines get bigger, the geographic spread gets wider, and the technology and quality demands increase. Our vision is to be at the forefront of the industry, as a technology leader in the field of bolting and in particular smart bolting. We will help our customers and the industry to produce renewable energy in the most efficient and cost-effective way by maximising process security, minimising human and operational risk and reducing their total costs. www.atlascopco.com 88 PES WIND

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CORPORATE FOCUS Modern technology supports classic methods in engineering development For over 30 years MAATS Tech have been recognised for providing quality, considerately designed equipment arrays for a plethora of vessels across a variety of capabilities. Core competencies are centred on dynamically positioned special purpose vessels for diverse operations in subsea construction, diving, cable laying and flexible pipe laying, for both new build and conversion projects. MAATS have been lucky enough to have a wealth of engineering experience at their disposal and continue to nurture this with a focus on employee development and mentoring across all departments. 90 PES WIND

CORPORATE FOCUS MAATS historically made their name Unfortunately, the perceived benefits of this to further check the feasibility of their consulting and designing equipment for the type of software have not changed with designs. With calculations to identify Oil and Gas industry but with a significant limitations still on MRP and converting CAD potential issues being so readily available, it downturn of that sector in recent years, the models for FEA analysis. meant design changes could be made much demand for cable lay and array spread earlier in the design process and prior to designs gave MAATS the opportunity to Obviously, what we can do with the software manufacture. Some of their original products diversify and apply the years of industry now far surpasses what we used to do 40 are still working in the industry today: experience to a relatively new and quickly years ago, but what needs questioning, is the 30 years on from their original design. growing arena. excessive level of detail which is used today, this needs to be tempered with respect to The FEA department work not only on internal In previous years engineering design has the type of product being made. Top of the projects, but also function as a consultancy. relied heavily on manual calculation and the list should not be more detail, but less, with With the variety of software available, it allows experience of the engineer, or naval architect faster turnarounds; modern software lets us for a wide variety of industry engineering to ‘know’ if a design will be successful. Design do that.’ analysis, from marine through to defence and draughting was a standard skill, pencil and aeronautical among others. By embracing the paper stuff, requiring intricate and exacting Steve does highlight however that advances in available technologies, the manual calculations which was time technology is no substitute for imagination, multidisciplinary team have gained a host of consuming and meant design variations the most important tool in an engineer’s experience and skills. Most recently the could be quite lengthy. arsenal. He notes that this is difficult to teach department has been able to offer dynamic and technology is not something that can marine analysis using OrcaFlex, meaning Chief Engineer at MAATS, Steve Brown, has provide that intuition that naturally comes accurate and true to life product analysis. gained extensive knowledge in engineering, from experience. having started his career as an engineer over Principal Analysis Engineer, Ben Murcott, is an 50 years ago. He comments on the These types of experiences should be advocate of the collaborative process of differences in technology he has witnessed handed down through mentoring of engineering and encouraging in depth over his career. graduates and allowing young engineers to calculations at the design phase to prevent be fully immersed in the detail. MAATS Tech costly impacts to the project. ‘The key to a ‘All degree courses then, 50 years ago, recognise the importance of this and have successful design project is collaboration compared to now started in a machine shop always nurtured the growth of their more between the designer and analysis engineer making tools of all sorts, some of which I still junior engineers and provided training both from start to finish. Often in industry, analysis use. Tools of the trade were drawing boards internally and externally to make them much is positioned at the end of the design process and bureau computers, on-line teleprinter more proficient engineers. as the last port of call before manufacture. terminals only and no screens. By the late Like a gate keeper, it is used to identify ‘70’s we started using 3D CAD. When it comes to project work, the oversights and issues which then brings cost, philosophy is to start projects early with the waste and impact on schedules. Such issues end client, alongside the design house to could have been avoided with more thorough ensure that the client’s operational needs application of classic engineering calculations are recognised and included through all the and understanding of the full design major design decisions. Then various design requirement, prior to detailed draughting and software platforms are used to be able to analysis effort such as FEA.’ provide accurate and interactive designs which give the client clear vision of what As, Steve Brown alluded to previously, Ben their final product will look like and how it agrees that communication and experience will function. are the foundation of any engineering process. ‘Communication and the sharing of In 2009, MAATS brought FEA capability knowledge. Computer Aided Engineering inhouse and with a dedicated internal FEA tools have advanced but experience, team they began to use specialist software WWW.PESWIND.COM 91

CORPORATE FOCUS expertise and teamwork are still the with the clients and their vessel design development of detailed engineering and foundations of a successful project. houses early in the concept phase, ensures manufacturing of the equipment. Technology will continue to advance but how that the designs are always forward thinking, we communicate should continue to adapt more efficient in both costs and time and Continuing to review how to advance further and develop with it. To reinvent the wheel is have a clear operational function. in knowledge, skills and progress as the drive the greatest mistake an engineer can make. to change how energy is harnessed across Talk to others, take an interest in what has Drawing on the latest technology the the sectors and being involved with been done before. Only then are you company has carried out many engineering groundbreaking projects with companies, equipped and ready to bring something new studies for its clients and these studies can such as Nexans and Van Oord, is essential to and useful to the world.’ then be used to progress the design forward the innovation and quality processes that to prove the concept for the client prior to MAATS prides itself on. At MAATS, part of an Analysis Engineers role major investment and later support the is to consider all design loads and how they www.maats.co.uk will be applied, referencing experience and previous similar projects. The earlier the analyst can support the designer in this activity, the better. When designs are passed to the analysis team for FEA, they are already mature or at the very least ‘in the ballpark’. In recent years, the improved FEA tools available in CAD packages have enabled designers to test designs themselves prior to them being passed on for detailed analysis by the Analysis team. Such efforts have yielded significant time and cost savings further down the project timeline, further advancing our processes. The skills and experiences taken from MAATS track record of projects has recently supported them in winning two major cable lay equipment projects on newbuild vessels, Nexans Aurora and the Van Oord new green hybrid cable layer. By using knowledge gained from working with operators across the Energy industries and the close collaboration 92 PES WIND

For engineering design, repairs and conversions, bespoke deck equipment, and Finite Element Analysis. www.maats.co.uk | +44 (0)1452 546570 | [email protected]

PES ESSENTIAL Next level wave intelligence for floating wind farms (FOWF) 94 PES WIND

PES ESSENTIAL It could meet Europe’s electricity demand seven times over, and the United States’ electricity demand four times over. In the last decade, offshore wind power has developed from an expensive rookie to a competitive source of energy. As the world’s interest in offshore wind grows, there is a rapidly growing need for cost-effective solutions. But as always, there are some major challenges. Traditionally, offshore wind has been tension leg platforms or floating spar buoys. monitoring solution. Numerous hours of focusing on bottom-fixed parks due to the During these projects data will be collected technical discussions and workshops with proven design, the shallow waters and the to analyse how the construction behaves in our clients were put into this project. Proudly easy accessibility. However, most other (extreme) wave conditions. And the dynamic they can now present a fully motion potential areas have much deeper nearshore performance will be compared to the models. compensated system to measure waves waters which are not suitable for bottom- (height, period, direction) from a floating fixed turbines. The challenge lies in making Each turbine is equipped with measurement wind turbine. these areas accessible for offshore wind. systems. The loads in the construction of Floating wind technology enables wind the foundation and turbine are measured Measurement principle turbine installation in deeper waters not with strain gauges. The wave and wave suitable for bottom-fixed turbines. As the direction have impact on absorbed loads The radar principle used is FMCW name implies, a floating wind turbine is not and movements by the foundation and the (Frequency Modulated Continuous permanently fixed to the seabed but floats. turbine itself. Besides, measuring the water Wave). The FMCW-radar transmits a It’s kept in position by a mooring system. levels on the different floaters or beams high frequency signal whose frequency (depending on the design), gives insight of increases linearly during the As the offshore renewable energy sector the tension on the mooring lines. The measurement phase (called the grows, efforts to develop the technology measurements can validate the loads under frequency sweep). The signal is emitted, needed for the floating wind market are also different wave heights and wave directions. reflected from the measuring surface increasing in scale and scope. Most of the All this data is used to stay within the and received with a time delay. The commercial floating wind farms are still in the design limits of, for example, the pitch of difference calculated from the actual development phase. The main aim is to the turbine. transmit frequency and the received analyze the behavior of the assets under real frequency is directly proportional to the operational and extreme conditions and gain How to measure the waves? distance. This leads to a highly accurate real-life knowledge from the construction, and direct measurement of the wave operation, and maintenance of the unit. The As floating turbines are typically installed in height, in contrast to the navigation or collection of data is key in this process. deep water, most wave measurement pulse radar. methods like buoys are not available or quite Why is wave data important? challenging and expensive in deployment. With an array of three radars, the Measuring the waves by radar from the elevation of the sea surface is measured Like bottom-fixed turbines, the operations turbine itself is an interesting and cost- at three positions. These positions form offshore to construct and maintain the effective solution. In addition to the a virtual triangle at the water surface by floating turbines are hugely affected by the advantages of dry and maintenance free pointing one radar perpendicularly wave conditions. Weather and waves are a measurements, it’s highly accurate. downwards and tilt the other two by 15 major risk factor for offshore operations. degrees. The principle of operation is Especially waves contribute to the Radac is known for its reliable wave radars based on the synchronized downtime during projects as the work is used in the offshore wind as well as the measurements of sea elevation (heave) only allowed to limited wave conditions for offshore oil/gas industry. Their unique at these three spots. Using these safety reasons. This applies to all offshore directional wave monitoring system which measured elevations, the water surface operations; floating offshore wind farms are consists of three wave radars, becomes the slopes are calculated relative to two no exception. first choice for many offshore wind farms. perpendicular horizontal axis. Hence the Several prominent contractors decided, wave direction can be determined. Obviously floating wind brings extra after a comparison study of three to six challenges due to the deep water, the months, to replace wave buoys with this An integrated motion sensor in each of distance to shore and the broad spectrum of wave radar system. the radars compensates for the roll, forces in the floating construction. Wave pitch and heave motions. measurements provide crucial input for Recognizing the importance of accurate testing and validating the different designs wave data in order to develop and validate of floating solutions like semisubmersibles, the floating constructions, Radac saw it as its responsibility to design an accurate WWW.PESWIND.COM 95

PES ESSENTIAL PES wanted to delve deeper and were very TS: Europe is still an important market for Tuna Sener happy that Rolf van der Vlugt, Managing us. But over the years, we are expanding Director and Tuna Sener, Business rapidly and globally. Today, our systems are Rolf van der Vlugt Development Manager agreed to answer installed in every corner of the World from some questions. largest projects down to the local project. At first it might look as a simple installations. In today’s market, Far East subtraction sum. But the challenge lies in PES: Hi it’s a pleasure to welcome you both Asia and the USA are the hotspots where the testing and validation. to PES Wind. To begin with would you like to our systems are appreciated. As a lab environment has its limits to test a introduce us to Radac? system with three radars moving with PES: Just how important is the weather to different frequencies of roll, pitch and Tuna Sener: Absolutely, it’s my pleasure too. operations at sea? heave, a simulation software needed to be Radac is a Dutch technology company built. We had to go quite far into the focusing on the marine and offshore TS: Both the weather and waves are very simulation of the sea and the specific industries by developing the most advanced important for any offshore operations. They movements and frequencies of the floating wave monitoring solutions that the industry define and draw the line for safety, workability turbine to be able to test and validate our can take advantage of. and accessibility while our systems are often software. We’re pretty proud of the used to finetune the weather forecasts. By simulation environment we build and the This year, we are celebrating our 25th year of knowing exactly what is happening around the performance of our final product. customer-centric operations and as it was in construction in Real-Time, contributes to PES: Are you currently working on any the past, going forward, our focus is to apply reducing downtime and supports the decision projects, or future projects you can tell the cutting-edge radar technology into a making process. us about? simple to use wave radar that is suited to the TS: At Radac, we are continuously working harsh conditions of the offshore PES: Can you tell us about the development towards smarter, innovative products and environment. We have a strong team with of the wave radar for the floating turbines? improving, customer-focused systems. This experts and a natural interest for sea. We being said, we might have some other surprises even have the World champion kitesurfing in Rolf van der Vlugt: It was quite a natural in the near future. So, I say, stay tuned! our team! progression, where we combined two of our existing products into a more advanced level. www.radac.nl PES: Of course, we know you work in Our WaveGuide 5 Direction is becoming the several sectors, but which do you feel is standard in the offshore wind industry. It’s the most important and which ones you suitable for fixed turbines and transformer are currently developing? platforms to measure wave height, wave direction, wave period and tidal parameters. TS: Currently, we have four key focus areas. Offshore wind, Oil & Gas, vessels and ports. On the other hand, we have the WaveGuide Within these sectors, offshore wind plays an 5 Onboard 2 to measure wave height and important role in our developments. Floating free board from a vessel, for example an wind farms indicate a promising future, but to offshore construction vessel, multi support achieve the successful integration of our vessel, pipelaying vessel and so on. This systems we had to go beyond the single wave radar is compensated for the expectations and that’s what we did with our motions of the vessel. motion compensated directional wave radar system. More interesting news still to come. Combining these products to create motion compensated directional wave information PES: It would be interesting to know was a logical step. Our clients had shown where your main clients are based and if interest in it for some time already and this has changed over the years, any asked us to develop such a system. It turned geographical interest? out to be a very interesting and challenging 96 PES WIND

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THINK TANK Lifetime extension: making full use of installed capacity Words: P aul Taylor, Head of Industrial Products (UK) TÜV SÜD Limited Florian Weber, Wind Service Center, TÜV SÜD Industrie Service GmbH Christian Schumacher, Wind Service Center, TÜV SÜD Industrie Service GmbH © TÜV SÜD Decision-makers in the wind-energy industry are faced with a choice of three options when their wind energy converters (WECs) approach the end of their design life: they can either dismantle, repower or continue the operation of their WECs. In many cases, available lifetime reserves allow cost-effective continued operation. TÜV SÜD explains how to prepare the expert report needed for lifetime extension quickly and easily. 98 PES WIND

THINK TANK After 20 years, the design life of most repowering is not an option and the power drew up Basic Principles for Performing an wind-energy converters (WECs) is nearing its generated by the WECs brings in at least the Assessment and Verification of the Lifetime end. In terms of both sustainability and operating costs. When choosing this option, Extension of Onshore Wind Energy economic efficiency, it may be worthwhile t decision-makers must consider safety- Converters (LTE). These principles define commission expert determination of the related, legal and economic aspects. TÜV the requirements for safe continued lifetime reserves of the WECs and continue SÜD recommends acting early before expiry operation. They provide information about their operation for a limited period before of the design life if possible. lifetime reserves and the necessary repowering or dismantling them. Continued maintenance measures. LTE is also used to operation can make good sense for logistical The expert report furnish proof of qualification to the reasons, particularly where large numbers of competent licensing authority. The installations and wind farms are involved. Working with manufacturers, operators, normative or regulatory requirements are This applies especially to cases where authorised experts, authorities and lawyers, set forth in the IEC 61400-1 and the the German Wind Energy Association (BWE) DNVGL-ST-0262 standards. The starting- point of LTE is the original design conditions. The goal is to determine possible load reserves. To do so, LTE uses as-is analysis and comparisons with the site-related conditions in the past service phase. The assessment covers two parts, a theoretical analysis and a practical inspection. The analysis consists of computer-aided modelling of the theoretical lifetime. For this purpose, the loads resulting from design wind conditions are compared to those that stem from simulations with site conditions. The basis of calculation is the WEC design as documented in the type certificate. Weather and performance data, technical documentation, servicing, maintenance and test protocols all contribute to providing a detailed picture of the wind farm’s service history. This alone is generally enough to reveal reserves in design loads, as designs are generally on the conservative side. In other words, many WECs are designed for higher loads than those to which they are actually exposed during service. The design of the installation itself also provides information of how its lifetime could be extended by replacing individual components, for example, or introducing dedicated monitoring measures. This may apply in cases where an essential role in operational safety is played by individual mechanical components with lifetimes known to be significantly shorter than that of the installation as such. Parallel to theoretical analysis, the WEC is inspected in practice: in addition to regular periodic inspections, the experts perform in-depth on-site inspection of the load- absorbing and safety-relevant components of the WEC. To do so, the experts inspect the entire installation from its foundation to its rotor blades. Safety equipment, control systems and brake systems too are put through their paces. Based on their long experience, the experts focus on aspects and weak points typically prone to defects. Some design-related issues, for example, are characteristic of specific types of installation. The results of the analytical expert opinion provide further indications that can be addressed in the on-site inspection. The experts also take possible changes in the environment of the WEC into account. In particular, structural measures on adjacent installations or wind-farm WWW.PESWIND.COM 99

THINK TANK Paul Taylor Christian Schumacher Florian Weber extension may significantly impact on wind operation up to that date. This makes planning facilitates the licensing process, ensures conditions and must be considered in the of the modernisation, or if necessary, also cost transparency and provides managers determination of turbulence. dismantling, of a wind farm more predictable with planning certainty. Assessment of clusters instead of in terms of both finances and logistics. Only in individual WECs cases in which maximum lifetime extension Starting on time As individual inspection of each WEC may needs to be determined do individual prove inefficient for larger wind farms, TÜV assessments frequently make good sense. LTE should be implemented in the last SÜD has developed a solution for the regular year of operation. The responsibility wind-energy industry. Provided the Another benefit is that the method for commissioning the assessment and conditions at a site are homogeneous developed by TÜV SÜD is largely automated, verification on time and for providing the throughout the service life, cluster which also saves time. Reports can be necessary information and documents rests assessment will help to save time and costs. It available in only four weeks. While computer with the wind farm managers. In addition to will provide wind-farm managers seeking to simulations and load calculations make use of the WEC approval and the construction- and continue operation of their existing WECs established wind-industry software, TÜV commissioning-related documentation, this over a defined limited period, e. g. until full SÜD uses an app specifically developed includes all data related to operation and repowering, with clear information about in-house for on-site documentation. The app yield, maintenance, repair and test reports as which WEC types need to be taken out of processes the data entered and well as wiring and hydraulic diagrams. service and when, and what measures will be automatically generates a comprehensive, necessary in order to continue their safe standardised and easy-to-read test report Further important data are the wind from a single source. The expert report conditions in the past phase of operation. © TÜV SÜD Only if mean wind speed, extreme wind events or turbulence intensities are known and quantifiable are the experts able to calculate the loads acting on a WEC during this period. This information can be derived from the turbine operating data and the data recorded by the anemometer mounted on the nacelle. If the data are incomplete, further data records such as re-analysis data are used for long-term extrapolation. In the case of WECs located in wind farms that involve multiple extension scenarios, turbulences are calculated separately for each wind-farm condition. The odds are good Lifetime extension is a particularly wise option if profitability has been ensured on the basis of a conclusive marketing concept and repowering is impossible – for example, because of new regulations concerning minimum distances, or because a site has been converted into a conservation area. If the WEC has been regularly inspected, serviced and maintained, the odds of a positive report are good. This applies all the more to small- and medium-sized wind farms which have not been exposed to extreme weather events. Instead of commissioning 100 PES WIND