Scaling Floating Offshore Wind. - A New Era, New Opportunities and New Challenges
The advancement of new technology is critical to meeting the O&M requirements of future floating wind farms. Furthermore, early involvement of O&M players in a floating offshore wind project helps promote alignment among all project stakeholders and provide an appropriate set-up for the remainder of the project's life.
Leaders in the industry must advocate for the new technology necessary for commercial floating wind.
Major developers and floating platform technology suppliers have the necessary size to push for developments such as digital twinning solutions, rapid connection-disconnection technologies, and, to a lesser extent, floating-to-floating boats, among others. Using innovative technology as soon as feasible can help establish a track record and benefit commercial ventures sooner.
Promoting R&D in vessel technology, such as floating cranes and open-ended control strategies6, is critical for making onsite repair a viable alternative in the future. Designers would naturally fight to stay up with developers' innovation ambitions in this situation, and class societies would follow with certificates. National and supranational governments, in addition to developers, have a role in fostering new technologies through research grants and project financial support mechanisms, specified tenders, and so on.
To optimize systems and increase real-time monitoring activities, a more integrated design approach is necessary.
From an O&M and logistics standpoint, resolving O&M aspects at the design stage of a project might be accomplished by early communication and coordination. Indeed, the earlier the O&M viewpoint is incorporated into the Energy, Procurement, Construction, and Installation (EPCI) projects, the greater its effect on the chosen O&M strategy.
Integration of turbines and floaters, as well as vessels and their control systems, during the design stage may assist make systems lighter, lower safety factors, and enable holistic monitoring operations, all of which effect O&M practices throughout the project's lifetime. Data security of various components' behavior is considered as a constraint for adopting advanced monitoring technologies for preventative maintenance, such as digital twinning, at a bigger wind farm scale. Collaboration among stakeholders will consequently be required to enable real-time monitoring activities, all while protecting intellectual property rights and sustaining competitiveness.
Projects must approach new technology without jeopardizing their insurability.
From an insurance standpoint, there is a lot of risk in insuring projects when the O&M strategy used, which may involve new technology and processes, is therefore new to the contractor. Insurers like to see a track record in the instruments and processes used. A project might examine the following options to balance the benefits of leveraging current experience with the requirement to deal with new technology:
1) Experience from bottom-fixed or oil & gas should be utilized to the greatest extent possible to ease project underwriting.
2) Developer transparency, which is critical for insurers to correctly analyze project risks and mitigation options incorporating newer technology and/or materials.
3) Risk-sharing as a means of spreading the costs and hazards associated with new maintenance procedures.
4) Early incorporation of new technologies, but in a way that raises the factor of safety (or assures some redundancy) to encourage risk responsibility distribution and improve the availability guarantee in a project contract.
5) A spare parts approach that ensures timely replacement of broken or missing pieces, decreasing energy production loss.
The 3rd Annual Floating Wind Europe is a one-day Hybrid event that will offer the ideal opportunities for networking, interaction and one-on-one meetings.
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