Offshore wind roundup: MoUs inked to create stronger synergies and new project contracts awarded
As the end of the week draws near, Offshore looks back at the plethora of offshore wind announcements issued so far this month. The following compilation of the latest offshore wind news highlights updates from Ocean Installer, Ørsted, ORE Catapult, SeAH Wind, Saipem and more.
Ocean Installer to join Aspen floating offshore wind alliance
Ocean Installer is joining the alliance of companies led by Cerulean Winds for the 1-GW Aspen floating offshore wind (FLOW) project in the UK central North Sea, according to a March 11 news release.
The marine contractor, which operates a fleet of subsea oil and gas construction vessels, will work with Haventus, owners of the Port of Ardersier in Scotland. The cooperation will cover dry storage of the offshore wind structures, batched installation and quick connect/disconnect systems to optimize processes and create a method for installation of future FLOW projects.
Dan Jackson, founding director of Cerulean Winds, said, “Using Ocean Installer’s capabilities, we believe we can develop a standardized process to cut installation costs and make FLOW’s levelized cost of energy comparable to fixed offshore wind.”
Following investment decisions, Ocean Installer will provide engineering and installation services for the mooring system installation, the inter-array cables system, and marshalling of the floating units during the fabrication phase, tow-out and hookup.
Cerulean Winds plans three FLOW developments in the North Sea, Aspen, Beech and Cedar, comprising more than 300 turbines, starting with Aspen.
Gode Wind 3 starts commercial operation
Norwegian Offshore Wind, ANEV ink MoU to increase Italy-Norway synergies
Norway’s offshore wind association Norwegian Offshore Wind signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) March 5 with ANEV, the Italian National Wind Association.
The MoU sets a framework for extensive cooperation between the two organizations, and it aims to create new and stronger synergies between Italy and Norway.
Saverio Ventrelli, leader of the Working Group for Italy in Norwegian Offshore Wind, said the Italian offshore wind market is attractive for its member companies, with a strong pipeline of floating offshore wind projects, an offtake model ready to be implemented into auctions this year and strong regional supply chains.
The MoU states cooperation in areas such as offshore wind, power-to-x and energy storage from offshore wind. Envisaged activities are conferences, workshops, market visits and networking activities for the companies in the two organizations.
The MoU was signed at the annual K.EY. the Energy Transition Expo in Rimini, Italy.
ORE Catapult inks floating wind MoU with Japan’s FLOWRA
The Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult and the Japanese Floating Wind Technology Research Association (FLOWRA) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to partner to reduce development risks and costs of floating offshore wind.
The MoU, signed March 7, will include personnel exchange, work on standardization of component technologies and a test and demonstration alliance to facilitate large-scale technology development.
The MoU between the two organisations coincided with a wider cooperation agreement between the UK and Japanese governments to support and encourage collaboration on offshore wind deployment in both countries.
Subcontractors selected for Hornsea 3 offshore wind project
SeAH Wind, which is supplying the monopile foundations for the Hornsea 3 fixed offshore wind project, 120 km from the Norfolk coast in the UK southern North Sea, has named Mammoet, Glacier Energy and Hutchinson Engineering as subcontractors. The trio will support operational and logistical services at the 120-acre onshore assembly site on the South Bank of Teesworks.
Mammoet will provide self-propelled modular transporters for the transportation of can/cone structures and completed monopiles, according to a March 6 press release.
Glacier Energy will perform non-destructive testing of welds throughout the manufacturing process to ensure the reliability and durability of the monopiles meet Hornsea 3 developer Ørsted’s standards and international offshore wind regulations.
Hutchinson Engineering will supply secondary steel components.
Saipem technology for floating wind minimizes turbine stress
Star1 is Saipem's star-shaped steel semisubmersible floating wind foundation. The technology consists of three arms converging at the center, where the tower supporting turbines is installed, including those exceeding 20 MW. Saipem says this aims to minimize the stresses and movements of the turbine and optimize the loads on the mooring lines that anchor it to the seabed.
The Star1 technology is ready for the FEED followed by detail design and its industrial-scale deployment. Last week Saipem signed an agreement with Divento for the utilization of Star1 in the 7 Seas Med project in Sicily and the Ichnusa Wind Power project in Sardinia.
Andrea Spessa, DNV's head of Department Offshore, Midstream and Downstream, said, "According to the recent technical and commercial bankability assessment by DNV, Star1 is at an advanced stage of technical maturity. A full-scale prototype testing is not considered necessary to demonstrate bankability. Saipem has made considerable efforts thanks also to its EPCI capabilities to ensure stability, good performance, and industrialization of the Star1, with the first concept developed in 2008."
The Star1 technology was presented earlier this month during a roundtable event, organized by Saipem in collaboration with Divento and featuring the participation of DNV Energy Systems. The event took place during the KEY Exhibition in Rimini, Italy.
