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December 2021

Decarbonizing the steel industry to net zero

michele-admin
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Decarbonizing the steel industry to net zero

Steel is a major component of renewable energy, yet, despite technologies existing for production to be decarbonized, the steel sector is currently responsible for 7 to 8 percent of carbon emissions each year. This figure is projected to rise in line with increasing demand. If we hope to hit Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) targets for emissions in 2030 and 2050, we must decarbonize the world’s most widely used material, which is steel.

Globally, 80 to 90 percent of steel is recycled to produce secondary steel, but we still need to push that number higher. Preparing secondary steel is three times less carbon intensive than producing primary steel from iron ore. Unfortunately, only 30 percent of global steel consumption annually can be met by recycling/secondary steel. That leaves 70 percent of steel needing to be created through iron ore, which is a highly energy intensive process currently dominated by fossil fuel use. While using renewable energy to produce secondary steel will help progress companies through interim goals, full decarbonization in the industry will rely heavily on reducing carbon emissions from producing primary steel.

Wind turbine main shaft. (Courtesy: SKF)

Climate Group, in partnership with ResponsibleSteel, is driving the transition to a net zero steel industry by bringing together leading organizations through SteelZero. This initiative brings together forward-looking, demand-side businesses, harnessing their collective purchasing power and influence to shift markets and policies toward the responsible production of steel.

SteelZero members commit to use, procure, or specify 100 percent net-zero steel by 2050 and to use 50 percent low-carbon steel by 2030, setting a roadmap and clear ambition for companies to meet their 100 percent target. This is a first of its kind initiative that engages companies at every step of the supply chain to drive the demand for net-zero steel. From architects to designers to stockholders and contractors, SteelZero works with companies across the renewable energy, automotive, and construction sectors.

SKF — a company well known for solutions to help enable clean technology such as wind power — has made this commitment demonstrating its ambition to tackle the climate crisis through its supply chains. While reaching net-zero steel requires individual companies to take action and examine their own processes and supply/value chains, the transition of global steel production to net zero is a massive undertaking that cannot be achieved without a collaborative effort.

The Business Case for Decarbonizing Steel

Eliminating carbon emissions and transitioning to net zero presents several opportunities. Taking action now enables companies to prepare for the inevitable changes across supply chains and to remain economically competitive in a low-carbon world. A recent report by CDP estimates that 14 percent of steel companies’ potential value is at risk if they’re unable to decrease their environmental impact, and investors are already raising concerns that the steel industry needs to act now to safeguard its future. In doing so, companies can engage with policy makers to address any barriers to achieving net-zero targets, especially in more challenging markets.

Making a public commitment through initiatives such as SteelZero allows companies to create a clear climate strategy, driving change from the inside out. This can then be incorporated into a wider environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategy, signaling to stakeholders and customers that the company is committed to addressing global issues.

Some forward-looking customers are already asking about the amount of embodied CO2 in suppliers’ products as a key part of deciding with which suppliers to source business. There is a commercial imperative to understand these environmental impacts and figure out how to systematically reduce them. A broad approach that includes the entire supply chain is needed, as there is a daunting amount of enabling infrastructure that needs to be transformed. (See Figure 1)

First and foremost, businesses need to understand what their scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions look like and design a decarbonization roadmap and strategy identifying priorities and actions needed. Once scope 1 and 2 emissions are in order, then it’s time to focus on scope 3 emissions and how a business interacts with the wider business ecosystem. This is where many businesses will come into SteelZero.

SKF: Committing to Upstream and Downstream Sustainability

By breaking down goals into five-year interim targets for each category, SKF can adapt and increase the ambition level of its targets as new technology and government policy evolve. Even if the pathway to zero for a specific sub-target is not fully defined, the company is committed to finding viable options to achieve them through direct means, advocacy, or a combination of both.

The gearbox of a wind turbine. (Courtesy: SKF)

SKF’s 2030 goal for its own operations will be achieved by improving energy and material efficiency and by switching to 100-percent renewable energy. The company has direct influence and control on these matters and has experience measuring, reporting, and acting on its own carbon emissions for more than 20 years. But getting SKF factories to net zero by 2030 covers a relatively small part of their overall carbon footprint. To have a serious approach, they needed targets that addressed all of the extended value chain — from raw-material extraction to finished product delivered to the customer — to get to net zero.

It’s essential to not just look at the operations you have direct control over but also to understand the impacts upstream and downstream and reduce those, while avoiding unintended negative trade-offs. From a commercial perspective, not knowing what your CO2 footprint is upstream is quite dangerous because the costs associated with carbon and energy pricing will become more significant in the next few years. Businesses need to be informed and be ahead of those risks and costs to be able to be adapt and extend their competitive advantage in the market.

SKF knows from numerous product carbon-footprint studies that the embodied carbon in the steel materials and components it buys represents between 60 percent to 90 percent of the total emissions generated in its value chain. For SKF, it made sense to prioritize decarbonizing the upstream value chain for steel.

Steel is SKF’s primary raw material (446,000 tons purchased in 2020), and the company estimates that across scope 1, 2, and 3 (upstream) emissions it emits about 1.8 million tons of CO2 per year. The largest percentage is caused by sourcing direct material (primarily steel and steel components), followed by emissions from its own operations and logistics. Even though these numbers sound big, SKF is a relatively small industrial user of steel globally, so it is important to continue to grow the group of companies making these important commitments.

Critics say when a wind turbine is built, the carbon debt takes some years to be repaid because of the amount of CO2 it takes to construct, transport, and erect the turbine. But this is a prevalent criticism that’s simply not true. (Courtesy: SKF)

SKF saw an opportunity to have more influence by joining forces with other like-minded users of steel through SteelZero and Responsible Steel. Through this initiative, they now advocate with the industry, regulators, and other stakeholders for short-, medium-, and long-term changes that will drive the transition to net zero. SteelZero, which is led by The Climate Group in partnership with Responsible Steel, drew them in particularly because the breadth of the initiative includes examining the full environmental, social, and governance issues — such as human rights, water, and biodiversity impacts — associated with mining and steel production.

With a projected cost of several trillion U.S. dollars over the next few decades to make this massive transformation in the steel industry happen, the whole value chain has to decide how to absorb the incremental costs. Some of these challenges will be solved by regulation and carbon pricing, but there will also need to be honest discussions within the value chain to achieve net zero goals at each company and across the industry.

Moving the Wind Industry to Net Zero Steel

Critics say when a wind turbine is built, the carbon debt takes some years to be repaid because of the amount of CO2 it takes to construct, transport, and erect the turbine. But this is a prevalent criticism that’s simply not true. In most cases, it’s actually a matter of months before the wind turbine pays that energy and carbon back. Because production and shipping of steel is so energy intense, more responsibly sourced steel can play a big role in reducing that time even further. Many companies investing in wind farms want to fully understand what the carbon load is. As a component supplier of bearings, lubrication, and seals to this industry, SKF has found that being able to make products with much less CO2 helps reduce their customers’ carbon footprint as well.

As a component supplier of bearings, lubrication, and seals to this industry, SKF has found that being able to make products with much less CO2 helps reduce their customers’ carbon footprint as well. (Courtesy: SKF)

For most industries, as they move toward electrification and as electricity becomes less carbon intensive, the use phase (when machines or processes are running) will be less significant in terms of carbon impact, so they will start to look upstream. But for the wind industry, the biggest challenge to reduce its carbon footprint has always been upstream.

As a supplier, SKF not only aims to transition to a carbon-neutral supply chain but to continue to drive the emissions from its own operations to zero by 2030. For example, the SKF factory in Gothenburg, Sweden, which produces and supplies a huge volume of bearings to the wind industry worldwide, is one of three of the company’s factories already operating at net-zero emissions for scope 1 and 2. SKF also wants to engage manufacturers more in the conversation and share knowledge from its own experiences and from wider engagement with SteelZero members.

Acting Today to Move Toward Net Zero Steel

One of the reasons people at SKF are proud of being part of the SteelZero initiative and committing to these bold targets is because the company built the business and environmental case thoroughly across the organization. As your company starts this process, the data you collect from across your operations and the lifecycle will help you understand where the biggest impacts to your CO2 footprint are. The calculations, analysis, and building of the business case should all be done within a cross-functional and cross-departmental team.

Likewise, your sustainability team or procurement team, for example, should not be alone in deciding to address scope 3 emissions through initiatives like SteelZero. Bring everyone associated with the whole value chain together (strategy makers, R&D, designers, sales, procurement, etc.) and get their understanding and agreement. That way you achieve the organizational buy-in needed to make it happen. A commitment to a net-zero supply chain, and sustainability overall, requires an enterprise approach and alignment across functions for success. The stakes have never been higher, and industrial companies must act to preserve the environment for future generations.

Empire Offshore Wind names Vestas as preferred supplier

Wind Systems staff
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Empire Offshore Wind names Vestas as preferred supplier

Empire Offshore Wind, a joint venture between Equinor and BP, has named Vestas as the preferred turbine supplier for the 2.1 GW Empire Wind 1 and Empire Wind 2 offshore wind projects in New York.

Vestas will provide 138 V236-15.0 MW turbines for Empire Wind 1 and 2, 15 to 30 miles off the coast of Long Island. With this project, New York, Equinor, BP, and Vestas are together taking a leading role in the U.S. offshore industry development and bringing the USA closer to achieving President Joe Biden’s goal of 30 GW of offshore wind capacity installed by 2030 as well as New York state’s goal of installing 9 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2035.

Vestas will provide 138 V236-15.0 MW turbines for Empire Wind 1 and 2 .(Courtesy: Equinor)

“We are honored to partner with Equinor and BP as preferred supplier for the Empire wind projects and provide our V236-15.0 MW turbine to help New York achieve its ambitious offshore wind energy goals,” said Laura Beane, president of Vestas North America.

“To be part of a landmark project like Empire Wind 1 and 2 is a testament to the hard work of Vestas colleagues across the world dedicated to developing offshore technology capable of delivering reliable, resilient, and sustainable wind energy to communities around the world.”

The tower sections for Empire Wind 1 and 2 are planned to be sourced from the Marmen/ Welcon plant, which is being developed in Port of Albany. For staging of turbine components, Vestas will use the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal’s upgraded port, developing a local New York-based, supply chain to provide services in the staging, pre-assembly and installation activities.

Vestas has established local partnerships and supply chains to serve regional markets, including more than 1,000 suppliers in U.S. that support onshore business.

In addition, Vestas will deliver a comprehensive multi-year solution to service the wind farm when operational, with the goal to establish a New York-based service organization that provides local employment opportunities.

More info www.vestas.com

Firetrace launches XD tubing for offshore wind turbines

Wind Systems staff
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Firetrace launches XD tubing for offshore wind turbines

Firetrace, a provider of fire suppression systems for the wind industry, has launched XD Tubing, a flexible fire detection tubing with enhanced chemical durability, to mitigate the risk of fire and total loss in offshore and near shore wind turbines.

XD Detection Tubing detects fires by sensing either heat or flame, and resists corrosion, creep, and ozone exposure as found in both offshore and near-shore turbine environments.
As demand for technologies that ensure stability and safety ramps up with the addition of new offshore wind capacity, the risk of wind turbine fire, is at the forefront of many wind developers’ safety initiatives.

The flexible XD Tubing is installed in wind turbine components that are at a higher risk of fire such as the converter cabinet, transformer, and brake. (Courtesy: Firetrace)

XD tubing improves the efficiency of identifying and suppressing wind-turbine fires to prevent a catastrophic event and reputational crisis, while helping end-users save on maintenance costs by providing an automatic solution to combating turbine fires.

The product launched following accelerated environmental exposure testing that simulates the field service conditions on the polymeric fire detection tubing for corrosion, creep resistance and ozone exposure. The XD tubing performed ideally in the saltwater and zinc galvanic corrosion testing as well as elevated ozone exposure found in ocean environments.

The testing found the XD tubing material provides enhanced resistance in applications that have historically proven to be challenging to standard detection tubing. Creep resistance testing indicated the likelihood of creep rupture failure as a function of normal services is low, and ozone exposure testing indicated no damage after exposure that mimics 10 years or more of real-world concentrated ozone exposure.

“This product was designed to ensure that near-shore and offshore turbines could have the most robust and cost-effective fire suppression solution available in wind turbines worldwide,” said Angela Krcmar, Firetrace’s global sales manager. “Following an extensive testing period, we’re happy to announce the launch of XD Detection Tubing, so that we can continue our work with world-leading OEMs/developers dedicated to combating climate change and ensuring the safety of their staff and the industry.”

More info www.firetrace.com/xd

Bladt Industries wins its largest offshore wind project contract

Wind Systems staff
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Bladt Industries wins its largest offshore wind project contract

Bladt Industries, a Danish renewable energy company, will supply 176 transition pieces to the U.S. Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project. The order is the largest transition piece contract in Bladt’s history.

The project is in U.S. federal water, 43.5 kilometers east of Virginia Beach.

The first two CVOW pilot test turbines are up and running 27 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach. (Courtesy: Dominion Energy)

“We are proud to be selected by Dominion Energy for this contract based our experience and proven track record. Likewise, we are extremely proud to be part of building up the growing American offshore wind industry,” said CEO Anders Søe-Jensen. “It’s a great day for us at Bladt Industries. The order is the largest in our history and will occupy a significant part of our capacity in the coming years.”

Production starts at Bladt’s Aalborg, Denmark site in March 2023. The transition pieces are up to 30 meters high and close to eight meters in diameter. Each element weighs 540 to 570 tons, including secondary steel.

“We are the world leader in manufacturing of transition pieces and have so far delivered to a third of the world’s offshore wind turbines foundations,” Søe-Jensen said. “This project consolidates our position and gives us an even better starting point for the U.S. market.”

In the last 25 years, Bladt has delivered more than 2,500 offshore wind turbine foundations.

More info www.bladt.dk

ONYX Insight launches AI HUB for wind sector

Wind Systems staff
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ONYX Insight launches AI HUB for wind sector

ONYX Insight, a provider of predictive data analytics and engineering expertise to the global wind industry, has launched its AI HUB full-turbine predictive analytics platform, bringing disparate data streams together to streamline operations and maintenance decision-making while eliminating data silos.

While the wind industry is looking to ramp up its growth, previous generations’ software platforms are making the growth more difficult. Previous platforms can only handle one data source at a time, which causes site engineers to use separate platforms to manage large fleets.

The AI HUB platform connects engineering and site teams. (Courtesy: ONYX Insight)

Data is often held offline in inefficient spreadsheets, and the AI HUB centralizes critical data streams such as vibration, oil sensor and pitch bearing monitoring, allowing operators to benefit from advanced analytics using engineering-enhanced machine learning.

Operators are upgrading their approaches to O&M from turbine-by-turbine analysis to fleet-level strategic control. The AI HUB platform connects engineering and site teams, while automating labor-intensive yet unproductive data standardization and case management functions to free up resources.

“Wind-farm owners and operators are rising to the challenge of net zero admirably, but have found their ambitious digitalization strategies hampered by software solutions that are built for a smaller, less dynamic sector,” said Won Shin, global vice president of products,
ONYX Insight. “As wind scales, so does the ambition of industry stakeholders. We have created AI HUB to match that ambition.”

AI HUB has four new modules to integrate data from diverse wind assets:

  • Pitch Bearing Monitoring: Advanced analytics and online sensor solutions to detect early warning signs of impending pitch bearing failures.
  • Blade Drone Analytics: Drone agnostic blade analytic software for fleet-level blade defect analysis and repair management.
  • Case Management: More efficient workflows to bring all analytics into one place for better collaboration and communication.
  • Lost Energy Intel: Machine Learning powered SCADA analytics identifying issues causing the most lost energy and reliability problems.

More info onyxinsight.com

NREL determines how to transport wind-turbine blades

Wind Systems staff
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NREL determines how to transport wind-turbine blades

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have determined how to transport massive wind-turbine blades to parts of the country at a lower cost than segmented blades, but the solution will require some flexibility on the part of industry.

Manufacturing blades that can bend with “controlled flexing” will allow railroads to ship longer blades around the United States. Because of bends, twists, and turns in railroad lines, the upper limit for transporting single-piece land-based blades by rail is currently 75 meters.

Longer blades and taller wind turbines allow for the greater production of energy, even in areas where wind speeds are low. (Courtesy: NREL, SSP Technology A/S)

The conceptual design envisioned by researchers would stretch that limit to 100 meters or beyond for land-based turbines. Blades of this length are already being proposed for offshore wind turbines and can be transported via barge, but they have not been installed inland due to the transportation constraints.

For land-based turbines, the longer blades could be shipped attached across the length of four railcars.

Longer blades and taller wind turbines allow for the greater production of energy, even in areas where wind speeds are low. Seeking an economical solution to installing wind turbines has kept wind farms from regions where the resource could potentially be harvested, including the southeast United States.

The flexible blade technology may enable more deployment in these areas in the future due to the lower cost. Lowering the cost of transportation and enabling rotors with a higher capacity factor could make these deployments more economically feasible.

“This research can aid in massive deployment of wind energy in different regions of the country—even parts of the country that typically haven’t seen as much deployment,” said Nick Johnson, a mechanical engineer at NREL’s National Wind Technology Center and co-lead of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Big Adaptive Rotor Project (BAR).

Blades already possess some flexibility. Traditional blades can have deflections of about 10% of the blade length from the root where they are attached to the turbine to the tip. For the blades envisioned by the BAR research, this increases to 20% to allow for the flexibility required for rail transportation.

Johnson said he sees industry adopting the flexible blades about five years out. “We have an industry advisory panel and have had great input and feedback from the members. They’ve kind of steered us in this direction. They think it’s a promising idea, and certainly worthwhile as the impact could be significant,” Johnson said.

More info www.nrel.gov

Gastops ships first MetalSCAN turbine monitoring sensors

Wind Systems staff
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Gastops ships first MetalSCAN turbine monitoring sensors

Gastops, a leader in critical component condition intelligence, announced the first volume shipments of the MetalSCAN MS3500 online condition monitoring sensors to a major wind-turbine manufacturer for their next generation platform, the fourth manufacturer to adopt MetalSCAN technology as standard equipment.

The MS3500 series provides the wind-energy industry with online access to real-time condition monitoring data, which enables the earliest reliable detection of component damage available on the market today.

Designed specifically for wind-turbine platforms, the MetalSCAN M3500 oil debris monitoring system provides continuous monitoring of the gearbox. (Courtesy: Gastops)

“MetalSCAN MS3500 replaces the MS3000 series to further enhance the value proposition for the world’s leading wind turbine manufacturers by helping wind-energy operators reduce costs and risk,” said Cedric Ouellet, director of energy and industrial at Gastops. “With the MS3500 series, we have introduced key new functionality and connectivity capabilities to support Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) implementations at a lower price point, all while maintaining the performance and reliability for which Gastops is recognized.”

The MetalSCAN MS3500 series delivers real-time detection of 100 percent of ferrous and non-ferrous metal particles generated during component damage. The sensors generate continuous component condition data to provide advance warning of abnormal component wear or debris accumulation exceeding defined limits. This intelligence gives wind-energy operators the power to plan maintenance in advance, predict the remaining useful life of critical equipment, and avoid secondary damage that leads to costly component replacements.

“Our MetalSCAN technology was developed to meet the demanding standards of the aviation and defense markets,” said Shaun Horning, president and CEO of Gastops. “As with our previous generation of sensors, the MS3500 series packages that advanced technology into a market leading solution that is now more valuable than ever to both wind turbine manufacturers and operators. We are very excited to be bringing our latest innovations to the renewable energy industry.”

Gastops provides intelligent condition monitoring solutions used in aerospace, defense, energy, and industrial applications to optimize the availability, performance, and safety of critical assets, offering online monitoring sensors, at-line analysis, complex modeling and simulation, laboratory testing, engineering, design, and MRO services that predict performance to enable proactive operating decisions. Gastops has been providing insights into the condition of critical equipment since 1979.

More info www.gastops.com

Mammoet launches offshore wind innovation challenge

Wind Systems staff
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Mammoet launches offshore wind innovation challenge

Mammoet and Offshore Wind Innovators are challenging innovators to find a solution for transferring and lifting components to floating and fixed-bottom offshore wind turbines.
Conventional wind turbines are getting bigger and are being built in large quantities, while floating wind farms are the new kid on the block. The intensity and complexity of maintenance is rising.

The two companies, in cooperation with TKI Wind op Zee, are launching the fifth Offshore Wind Innovation Challenge. The challenge will focus on finding solutions for the safe and efficient transfer of objects from a floating vessel to offshore wind structures to reduce the cost and the scheduled impact of maintenance.

Mammoet’s testing device can test high-capacity equipment to high loads with low risk and minimal impact to operations. (Courtesy: Mammoet)

The use of large (floating) installation vessels should be prevented and the companies are looking for solutions.

  • The challenge is split into three sub-sections:
  • How do you position the barge, ship, or vessel close to the wind turbine foundation, floater, or tower?
  • How do you transfer the components required for maintenance from a barge, ship or vessel onto the wind turbine structure, or floating foundation?
  • How do you transfer and lift the components toward the nacelle?

SME entrepreneurs can apply for the challenge until January 7, 2022. Then the entrepreneurs can present their idea or proven (complete or partial) solution during a January 21 session.

After that, companies can optimize their solutions until an April 2 deadline, with feedback and collaboration with Mammoet and TKI Wind op Zee. The finalists will be invited to pitch their developed concept to a broad audience during the Innovation Challenge Finals on May 13, 2022.

The participants will be able to create brand awareness and visibility of their innovations in the offshore wind community. In addition, they will get coaching and the chance to collaborate with Mammoet and its subsidiary company Conbit.

The first four editions of the Offshore Wind Innovation Challenge led to partnerships between almost all winners and leading companies.

More info www.offshorewindinnovators.nl

DNV seeks partners for joint offshore wind projects

Wind Systems staff
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DNV seeks partners for joint offshore wind projects

DNV is seeking partners for a new joint industry project (JIP) for floating offshore wind substations.

The plan is to improve tech development and standards.

“In DNV’s latest Energy Transition Outlook Report, we predict that by 2050, the installed floating wind capacity will have grown to over 260 GW and that the technology will reach commercial-scale deployment in the next 15 years,” said Kim Sandgaard-Mørk, executive vice president for Renewables Certification at DNV. “Although essential for scaling floating offshore wind farms, floating substations have not received the same degree of attention as their turbine counterparts, therefore we are initiating this JIP.”

Kim Sandgaard-Mørk, executive vice president for renewables certification at DNV. (Courtesy: DNV)

“Together with partners from the industry, DNV developed the standard DNV-ST-0145 Offshore Substations,” said Markus Kochmann, head of offshore substations in renewables certification at DNV. “Over the past 10 years, this standard became widely used in the industry. The current standard focuses on bottom-fixed substations, but we see a growing trend toward floating wind, and we want to use this JIP to support the industry by developing rules applicable for floating substations.”

The plan is to carry the project out over one year, beginning in the fourth quarter of 2021.
“Substations are the heart of each offshore wind farm as they collect the electrical energy produced in wind turbines and convert the electricity for the transfer to consumers onshore via export cables,” said Kristin Nergaard Berg, Senior Principal Consultant at DNV and Project Manager for the JIP. “We see a huge interest from the industry to join our JIP. Over 50 participants from more than 20 companies spanning across the entire value chain for offshore wind joined DNV in a first workshop where the scope of work has been discussed.”

“A call for more interested partners is still open, and we are looking forward to welcome more companies onboard to enhance technology development for floating offshore wind substations,” she said.

The results of this JIP will be used to update the DNV-ST-0145 standard, making it applicable for floating offshore substations.

DNV is committed to realizing the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement and supports customers to transition faster to a deeply decarbonized energy system.

More info www.dnv.com

Onshore wind crane takes step closer to reality

Wind Systems staff
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Onshore wind crane takes step closer to reality

As developers chase stronger flows, onshore wind hub heights are growing beyond the reach of conventional crawler cranes. Mammoet’s new WTA lifting system allows theoretically infinite hub heights and paves the way toward emissions-free turbine erection.
The WTA assembles wind-turbine generators by attaching directly to the tower itself, using a series of clamps to self-assemble and then climb to each lift location. It assembles tower sections, hubs and nacelles, and has a capacity of 150 tons.

With the WTA, relocation time is reduced by approximately 50 percent. (Courtesy: Mammoet)

Its innovative concept means the WTA can keep working when conventional crawler cranes can’t. It operates in wind speeds up to 20m/s, reducing downtime during construction and extending the build season.

As the WTA has a significantly reduced footprint and is much smaller and lighter than any type of crawler crane, it actively lowers the need for groundwork on site. Pads can be smaller, and ground pressure requirements are lessened — maxing out at the 15 tons/square meter typically needed for assist cranes.

The system’s small size means quicker and more cost-effective mobilization. While a conventional crawler crane can require up to 50 truck loads to reach site, the WTA gets there with just nine.

With no boom laydown requirement, much fewer components, and a lower total weight, the WTA is also faster from pad to pad. In fact, relocation time is reduced by about 50 percent, compared to using crawler cranes. It therefore shaves weeks off wind-farm construction schedules.

Powered entirely by electricity, it also opens the door for a 100-percent emissions-free journey from factory to first megawatt — with transport to site via electric or hydrogen-powered truck, on site maneuvers via ePPU-enhanced SPMT, and carbon-free WTA lifting.
The WTA system is now design-ready and can be ready to enter the market during the second quarter of 2023.

More info mammoet.com/onshore-wind

Pattern Energy starts construction on Alberta wind project

Wind Systems staff
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Pattern Energy starts construction on Alberta wind project

Pattern Energy recently announced it has started construction of its Lanfine Wind power project in Alberta, Canada. The 150-MW project, which will provide enough clean energy to power approximately 25,000 homes in Alberta each year, is expected to enter full commercial operation by the end of 2022.

“The Lanfine Wind project is bringing substantial economic and environmental benefits to Alberta by creating hundreds of new jobs, generating millions in revenue locally, and establishing strong community benefits,” said Mike Garland, CEO of Pattern Energy.

Pattern Canada’s Grand Renewable Wind facility in Haldimand County, Ontario. (Courtesy: Pattern Energy)

The Lanfine Wind project will use 35 Vestas V150-4.2 MW turbines, delivered in 4.3 MW operating mode. The project will be south and west of Oyen, Alberta.

The projected investment into Alberta of about C$350 million will include up to 200 construction jobs. Lanfine Wind will also generate landowner revenue and provide tax revenue to the local community. Further, a community benefits program funded by the project will support local initiatives and community-based organizations.

Including Lanfine Wind, Pattern Canada has now brought 11 wind energy projects into construction and operation across five provinces over the last decade, creating thousands of Canadian jobs and millions of dollars in direct economic benefits to our local communities.

Pattern Energy is one of the world’s largest privately-owned developers and operators of wind, solar, transmission, and energy-storage projects. Its operational portfolio includes 28 renewable energy facilities that use technology with an operating capacity of 4.4 GW in the United States, Canada and Japan.

More info patternenergy.com

The greening of offshore wind-farm construction

Andy Filak
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The greening of offshore wind-farm construction

The offshore wind industry needs to substantially increase the durability, strength, and environmental sustainability of its wind-turbine-generator support structures while reducing the carbon emissions associated with construction materials and processes. The changes proposed below are not only environmentally ethical, but fiscally responsible, and these long-term benefits become even more significant as future offshore wind projects scale up in volume and size.

Offshore wind turbine generator support structure designs

The designs of wind-turbine generator (WTG) support structures planned for offshore use on both the East and West coasts of the United States have now been standardized. On the East Coast, two types of fixed bottom turbine support structures will be used on the continental shelf: monopile (a large pipe) and jackets (a steel lattice). Approximately 80 percent of the leases are planned to be monopile, and the remainder will be jackets. On the West Coast, 100 percent of projects will be floating support structures and will use either a spar buoy (a long, large tube) or a semi-submersible (three large vertical pipe tanks fixed to each point of a large triangle).

Unfortunately, the construction and deployment of these current designs have yet to incorporate production and construction processes, which can greatly reduce carbon emissions, nor do they integrate strong, environmentally sustainable materials necessary to achieve long-lived structures capable of successfully surviving multiple generations in a harsh marine environment.

Reducing the environmental impact associated with offshore wind systems should be a paramount goal, but money is often a limiting factor. (Courtesy: Shutterstock)

Obsolete materials used in offshore structures

Current structures made from steel are heavy and require a long production process. Steel production is responsible for generating 7 percent of all carbon dioxide emissions worldwide. More than 70 percent of steel production is accomplished using century-old blast furnace technology whereby coal is burned at a high temperature to reduce the oxygen in iron ore, which is then eventually turned into steel.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), all the steel currently used for the construction of offshore WTG support structures originates from coal-fired plants in Poland, Spain, and Russia. The only “green” steel in Europe is produced in Sweden using hydrogen, but this steel is used in truck construction and has not yet been made available for wind projects.

One-hundred percent of the concrete used in current floating structures is made using ordinary Portland cement (OPC). The OPC (binder) is the paste that holds traditional concrete together, but it has deficiencies when used in marine environments. Salt water directly attacks the chemistry of OPC, causing rapid failure. Sulfur compounds in sea water directly attack the calcium components of OPC, and this chemical reaction essentially “rots” the concrete. OPC concrete needs to be heavier in its structural volume in seawater applications since it requires more cover to protect the steel rebar.

New lighter green materials are available for offshore wind

The steel, rebar, and OPC concrete used in the construction of offshore wind-turbine-generator support structures can easily be replaced with lighter, stronger materials with a substantially smaller carbon footprint. One of these greener materials is geopolymer concrete. Geopolymer binders are used all over the world due to their superior performance to ordinary Portland cement (OPC) binders. They are stronger, fireproof, and waterproof. They bond well to most materials, have minimal expansion or contraction, are formable, and are resistant to salt, acids, and alkalis. The production process for geopolymer cement has an 80 percent smaller carbon footprint than OPC.

Steel rebar reinforcement can be replaced with a nonmetallic bar made from readily available basalt stone. Basalt stone Is found all over the Earth and is one of the key components for durable offshore construction in a marine environment. Basalt stone, when heated to a temperature of 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit, liquifies and can be run through a palladium die that produces soft, flexible threads. The threads are laid in parallel and locked together with an epoxy, producing basalt rebar.

Compared to a similar diameter steel rebar, basalt rebar is seven-to-nine times lighter while providing the same strength. Since basalt is stone, there is no cover requirement; it is waterproof, chemically resistant, and fireproof. The tensile strength of basalt rebar is three times stronger than steel rebar. Basalt rebar is extremely light and relatively flexible, leading to easy placement in the structure. Cut-basalt fiber additives, much like nylon fiber, are used in the concrete mix design for added strength. The geopolymer cement in the concrete binds to the basalt rebar both chemically and mechanically. Due to the low porosity, high strength, and chemically resistant nature of geopolymer cement and basalt rebar, offshore wind substructures constructed with these materials will have a minimum of a 100-year life.

The tower structure for a 15-MW direct drive wind turbine generator (WTG) weighs well over 1,000 tons and has a lifespan of 25 years. Using new green materials reduces the tower weight to only 350 tons while increasing the lifespan to a minimum of 100 years. (Courtesy: Shutterstock)

Electrical curing of geopolymer concrete

Although a small amount of custom formwork will be used for forming small add-on components, most of the construction of the offshore wind structures can be achieved using slip-form technology. Electrical curing adds an additional layer of efficiency to the slip-forming process. When the concrete mix design is plastic, the mix has an elevated conductivity because it hasn’t yet polymerized. When a direct or alternating current is passed through the concrete, it begins to set up immediately. Heat is being generated (above 85 degrees Fahrenheit), and the current is relatively small.

After the concrete has set, which is a few seconds after the initial charge, the charge can be increased to expedite the strength gain. Heat Is an important factor in the strength gain experienced during electrical curing. Electrical curing of the concrete speeds up the slip form process (two feet/hour rather than six inches/hour), resulting in an overall reduction in concrete slip time by 75 percent along with the associated huge reduction in labor costs.

Reducing weight and cost

The tower structure for a 15-MW direct drive wind turbine generator (WTG) weighs well over 1,000 tons and has a lifespan of 25 years. Using new green materials reduces the tower weight to only 350 tons while increasing the lifespan to a minimum of 100 years. Using the slip-form construction process for the tower creates the opportunity to slip-form the tower sections in the back harbor, thereby eliminating the significant freight costs associated with transporting a tower from an off-site plant to the wind-farm location. After installation of internals, the tower could be ready in just two weeks, resulting in yet another reduction in labor costs. The 650-ton reduction of the weight of the tower will reduce the hull displacement, saving approximately 600 tons of materials.

Greening of monopile support structure

The fixed-bottom monopile, supporting the majority of the forthcoming offshore WTGs on the East Coast, is a prime candidate for construction with geopolymer cement and basalt rebar. By slip-forming the monopile on a construction vessel outside the harbor, a 40-foot diameter, 400-foot-long monopile could be produced every nine days (with floater end caps) ready for self-float transport. Once the monopile is in place, a transition component — known as the transition platform — slips over the exposed end of the monopile, is used for leveling the turbine platform, and is grouted to the monopile with more geopolymer binder. This transition platform is a slip-formed component and includes cemented add-ons such as the turbine interface platform, concrete handrails, intermediate platforms, concrete ladders, J-tubes, and boat-bumper attachments.

All these add-ons are formed from custom formwork and will be attached to the transition platform with geopolymer binder. Since this geopolymer bonding is both mechanical and chemical, there is no cold shot.

A slip-formed geopolymer concrete monopile of this size would have an overall weight of 850 tons. An identical steel monopile would weigh three times as much with a weight closer to 2,500 tons. Fabricating a steel monopile requires a plant outfitted with high-capacity overhead cranes and high-capacity floors. The transport requirements for a steel monopile are complex and expensive including up to 40 dollies to move the monopile out of the plant and high-capacity cranes to load the monopile on a transport barge for deployment to its station-keeping location in the farm. Once in place, a large jack-up vessel with a high-capacity crane is used for upending and placement (also known as a bottom-supported platform) to drill, drive, or vibrate the steel monopile to grade. These processes increase an already large carbon footprint.

Green station-keeping anchors for floating systems

Based on sea floor conditions, one of two types of anchor systems can be used for floating wind systems. To coincide with the 100-year lifespan of the geopolymer cement and basalt rebar WTG support structures, each anchor system will be constructed of these same sustainable materials. Using these new materials will reduce the capital cost associated with traditional mooring and anchoring. The first system, a suction caisson anchor, is good for resisting high loads. The anchor resembles an overturned bucket placed on the sea floor where water is pumped out creating a vacuum, which pulls the anchor down into the seabed. These suction anchors, planned for use with large 15- to 20-MW floating WTGs, will have a 26 foot outside diameter and will be 72 feet long. It will be built top-down with custom formwork, then the tube section will be slip-formed.

The second type of anchor is a geopolymer concrete chain. Each custom molded link is eight feet long with a link thickness of a foot and a half. This concrete chain is laid on the sea floor perpendicular to the center line of the float. It acts as a gravity anchor with only one of its many links rarely lifting off the sea floor. It works well on sea floors that will not accept a suction caisson.

A huge reduction in decommissioning costs

To date, the majority of offshore wind developers have sold their wind-farm leases to new major energy companies. Some of these energy companies are wearing the developer’s hat as well. All offshore wind leases now are based on the material life of the WTG, which is currently structured at a 25-year maximum. The U.S. government requires offshore wind installation lease holders to provide financial security to ensure decommissioning obligations are carried out. A bond is required, prior to construction, covering the estimated decommissioning cost, which ranges from 60 to 70 percent of estimated capital cost.

Overall project budget development will require a report specifying how the decommissioning will be carried out. The process is normally a reversal of the deployment installation.

Although the nacelle and blades will still need to be replaced every 25 years, the new generation of green materials outlined here can produce offshore WTG towers and foundation structures with a minimum lifespan of 100 years. These new structures can support four generations of wind turbines and significantly reduced decommissioning costs. The process for changing out the turbine nacelle and blade could be as little as two days per turbine. New large international renewable energy companies are bidding on and buying up offshore wind leases around the world. The new bid requirements for contract developers should be a minimum 100-year lifespan requirement in their structural materials and leases to avoid tearing down a multimillion-dollar offshore windfarm every 25 years.

Environmental sustainability results on fiscal responsibility

Reducing the environmental impact associated with offshore wind systems should be a paramount goal, but money is often a limiting factor. Not only do the materials and processes discussed significantly decrease the carbon footprint of an offshore wind farm, but an outside cost opinion found there would be a 32-percent reduction in the cost of materials and a 28-percent reduction in the cost of labor for construction and development.

The 100-year lifespan of the support structures will eliminate the multimillion-dollar cost of purchasing, constructing, deploying, and decommissioning offshore windfarms every 25 years.

X1 Wind completes rotor assembly for ‘downwind’ platform

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X1 Wind completes rotor assembly for ‘downwind’ platform

X1 Wind has completed the full rotor assembly of the firm’s X30 prototype. Fitted with a specially adapted V29 Vestas turbine, the unique “downwind” system is able to “weathervane” and orientate passively with the wind to maximize energy yields.

The tripod-like platform also features greater structural efficiency, with a lighter and more scalable design, while keeping environmental impact on the ocean to a minimum.
“We are thrilled to complete this latest milestone as we move toward deployment,” said X1 Wind CEO Alex Raventos. “The rotor assembly represents a symbolic moment in this project, fitting the blades, which will ultimately harness the wind and demonstrate our downwind design. Strong summer trade winds in Gran Canaria brought minor delays after the initial load-out, but this exciting period brings the assembly process to fruition.

The rotor assembly is a “symbolic moment,” said X1 Wind CEO Alex Ravenos. (Courtesy: X1 Wind)

“In the coming weeks, we will engage in cable and anchor installations before the platform is stationed at a 50-meter water depth for final commissioning. From the outset, X1 Wind has been committed to find a more efficient structural approach for floating wind compared to more traditional systems. We believe we have now developed the technology to take full advantage of the marine environment, while respecting the future sustainability of the ocean. Our system will drive greater structural efficiency, reducing loads, especially the bending moments at the base of the tower, allowing for a lighter design.”

Co-founder Carlos Casanovas said the industry-wide approach for land-based turbines has traditionally focused on upwind rotors to avoid the so-called “tower shadow” effect.

However, upwind configurations require specific measures to prevent tower strikes, with the challenge increasing as turbine blades get longer.

“With 100-meter-plus blades becoming more prevalent in offshore environments, significant measures are needed to avoid tower strikes,” he said. “This typically involves increasing the distance between the blades and tower applying a tilt and cone angle, and designing more costly pre-bent and stiffer blades, which also makes them heavier.

However, these measures come with increased manufacturing complexity, cost, and potential loss of power generation. Using a downwind configuration reduces the risk of tower strikes, opening up the possibility of using lighter, more flexible and, therefore, cheaper large-scale wind turbine designs. These are key characteristics, which will enable the development of future ‘extreme-scale’ downwind structures with research already being conducted on 200m blades and 50MW power ratings.” X1 Wind is a floating wind technology developer based in Spain. The firm’s mission is to provide scalable solutions that deliver clean, affordable energy while reducing carbon emissions.

More info www.x1wind.com

Conversation with Chris Spring

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Conversation with Chris Spring

Wind Academy, a wind-energy technician training program operated by Siemens Gamesa, recently announced a new initiative designed to help more aspiring wind-turbine technicians to excel in careers in the fast-growing industry of renewable wind energy, which supports 116,800 jobs throughout the United States. Chris Spring, safety training manager with Siemens Gamesa, recently talked with Wind Systems about the new program and what it can mean for aspiring wind techs.

What is your role with Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy?

I wear two hats. I’m the safety training manager for Siemens Gamesa, where all the safety training for our North America operations takes place. I have a group of instructors that carry that out.

The other hat that I wear is that I’m the admissions manager for Wind Academy. I help get all the paperwork in order for us to be licensed by the state, I’m the initial contact for a majority of the students, and I teach several of the classes.

Tell us about your partnership with Meritize and what it means for aspiring wind-turbine technicians.

It’s actually a fantastic partnership that we have. One of the things that is unique about Wind Academy is the timeframe that we take to train our students. It’s a three-week training program, and it is almost identical to our internal training program that we have for our own technicians within Siemens Gamesa.

If you look at other major OEMs, their training programs are anywhere from two to four weeks, but if you look at a lot of the competition for wind-technician training programs out there, they’re usually six months plus. And the reason for that is because, in order to qualify for Pell grants, Stafford loans, and financial student aid, you have to be over so many credit hours, which is six months. We didn’t feel that served the students justice because we know what we need in a basic technician. We’ve done it for 20-plus years. We’re pretty successful at it.

We felt that a three-week training program, similar to what we do, would be most beneficial. But the problem is that it removes us from a lot of financial aid capability for a lot of the students. That’s definitely where a partnership with Meritize comes in. What’s fantastic about it is it allows a company to come in and provide financial aid that takes the time to not only learn their students, they don’t just look at a credit score.

Meritize came in and looked at our curriculum and realized that there’s merit and opportunity there. This was not only for the students but obviously for them too, because they’re a business as well. So, it works out well for all parties to be able to provide that financial support and to have such a short turnaround. We have an aggressive job placement service, I’m averaging from a week to two weeks after graduation, someone’s gotten an offer letter in hand. They’re on their way to a new career in maybe about a month, month-and-a-half.

This program uses a unique financial option, and you’ve touched on it a little bit, but how does this option differ from other established methods among wind-training facilities?

All other wind-training facilities are tied to community colleges. We are the only wind-training center or school that is run by an OEM. They have the traditional semester-based systems and financial-aid systems, including GI bill, Stafford or Pell grants, which help students afford training. Meritize opened up a unique opportunity for us because we didn’t have a lot of financing options available–this partnership helps students afford our training.

What other ways can the program fast track a trainee’s path to a full-fledged career?

The beautiful part about the program is it’s designed to take someone straight off the street with no real previous experience, and give them the tools to become entry-level, basic technicians in the field. Now, they’re going to spend some time OJT to learn their specific turbines, wherever site they work at, but this makes sure they know enough information to be uptower and be safe, first and foremost, and then to have enough knowledge to start the OJT learning experience for them. It definitely helps fast track students because, if you look at other schools, they teach very similar things to what we do as far as the safety training and the technical side. Because they have several months of class time, they teach very specific nuts, bolts, and maintenance procedures on that particular model of turbine that they have in their facility. That’s great, but they’ll probably never see that turbine again for the rest of their career. Even within Siemens Gamesa, we make dozens of different models of turbines. In my facility, I have two full-size nacelles, but I don’t teach the detailed maintenance on either of those two because technicians may never spend their time on it.

So why teach students a bunch of detailed information that is not going to be useful? Instead, we teach basic core information as far as how general items operate, and then they’ll get those fine details at sites. That way, it really allows them to fast track and get out in the field that much quicker.

Is there any difference between the on-the-job training with this program as opposed to a more established one?

It is still established as far as OJT, so it’s not like somebody is just coming in and being a straight apprentice, they’re getting the training completely there. There is still some amount of training that has to be done. It’s very similar to a pilot’s license: You can go out and get your commercial pilot’s license, but most airlines then want you to have so many hours before you can start being certified to transport people. You have to get out there and just get the time. This is very similar to having to have a certain amount of certifications to get into the industry and be able to climb, but then after that, it takes some time and education to be able to lead a team.

Usually the way wind turbines work is you have a team of two. You have your No. 2 person as your under-instruction tech, and that’s where your Wind Academy grad fits in. They are there to learn. They can do certain things under supervision. They can’t do LOTO (lockout/tagout) or electrically isolating the tower for work. That’s all the No. 1 person, and the No. 1 person is in charge of that team. They’re the ones who are authorized to do the maintenance items and everything else, and they’re the instructor, so that’s where the OJT aspect comes in. That’s how the wind industry’s been working for quite some time. And again, that’s where Wind Academy techs plug in, is with that No. 2. And they’ll be in that position six months to two years before they get additional training/qualifications and then jump to that team lead.

How does wind technology offer high-growth career pathways?

Wind Academy starts our learners on a career path. Graduates will be in that position as that No. 2 person assisting for six months to two years, then they’ll move up to what you call a maintenance tech. They’re responsible for all preventative maintenance and some corrective maintenance. They’ll be in that position for three to five years. After some additional training, they’ll come out as what we call a troubleshooter; other companies have similar terms. But these are the senior level guys and girls who, if the tower’s broken and we don’t have a clue why, we send them in, and they figure it out, and they write the procedure on how to fix it the next time. You start out on average $45,000 to $50,000 a year as an entry-level, basic technician. As the maintenance tech, you’re making $60,000 to $70,000, and the troubleshooters are sometimes making over six figures.

In a seven-year span, they can then become a site lead. Now, they’re the senior-level technicians, so that’s a bump as well. They could be the site manager if they want to jump over to a salary position. Now, they’re organizing the maintenance schedules, working with the customers, responsible for output, you name it. They can jump from there to a regional manager or district manager for multiple wind farms. We have many individuals, all up and down our leadership and management structure, that were prior techs, 10, 15, 20 years ago. Now, they’re in charge of our HSE program, or they’re in charge of our training program, so it’s definitely a career path. It’s not that you get hired in and that’s it for the next 40 years; it’s not the only position you do.

What kind of other opportunities are available?

There are a lot of different branches, learners aren’t tied to a single wind farm. There are both static jobs and traveling technicians. If you like to be out and about a little bit more, you can go from a cow pasture to a wind farm in six-months’ time, building out a site. There are also offshore wind opportunities that are definitely growing across the United States.

If those individuals like a little more adventure, they can learn some fiberglass repair, and they’ll be hanging from a rope 300 feet in the air grinding and doing fiberglass layup on a blade still attached to the turbine.

You can be a drone pilot and do external inspections of turbine towers. There are definitely different branches, so if you get into one, and you don’t necessarily like the flavor, you can make jumps pretty easily within the industry.

When will the new program be made available to potential applicants, if it’s not already, and what’s involved in becoming a trainee?

We’ve been certified or licensed by the State of Florida since September of last year. And our first class was March 2021 and we’ve been holding classes monthly. We usually start them the first week of the month. Right now, we’re holding one class; and probably next year I’m going to have enough student load that I’m going to be running two classes simultaneously. The class is limited to six students, so it’s a great low number for student-to-instructor ratio, so there’s a lot of engagement, a lot of hands-on activities. We’ve got a full class going through now. We’ve got another full class going through in December. And then, like I said, January is probably when we’ll start kicking off a second class simultaneously.

Students go to our website and start the application process. It’s not a terribly high bar for requirements: 18 years or older, high-school diploma or a GED, and they must be able to read, write, and speak English, because our curriculum is in English. And then, this one’s kind of a softer requirement, but you have to be under 265 pounds. You can still partake in most of the classes, but you can’t do the climb safety stuff and other items because the harnesses and the safety gear are only rated to a certain weight. And we want to make sure that if, should you need it, that it works and catches you, should they take a fall.

Do you see this as an opportunity for other people who might be looking for a different career path?

Definitely. I’ve had students from all over the place. I had a beekeeper. I had an elementary teacher who was in his 40s. I’ve got two kids in class right now, one who was a landscaper, another guy who was a security guard, and they’re both 21 years old, so they’re doing a brand-new start of their career. But, for somebody who’s like, “Hey, I want to do something different and work outside,” I’ve got one guy in class right now, he’s in his mid-40s; he was a musician for a good 20 years in a cover band, and now he’s looking to do something a little different.

It’s definitely a great way to jump into an industry that is the fastest growing industry in the country right now. It lets you be able to get out there really fast. Trying to get your bachelor’s degree after you’ve been working for a while, it’s challenging when you have a family. So, to be able to come in, knock it out in three weeks, and then be back out doing something, that’s beneficial to a lot of people who are trying to reinvent themselves.

Is there anything else you’d like to mention?

The Wind Academy program has two primary purposes: First, we know the industry, and it needs a pipeline because there’s not a lot of schools offering a true technician training, if you will, and even fewer that offer ones with internationally recognized credentials attached to it. We definitely want to get more technicians out in the field because we see how much wind power is going to explode here in the United States, but then it also helps us because then there are more technicians to hire. But first and foremost, we want to try and be good stewards of the industry.

More info www.windacademyusa.com

Why technology matters for the wind industry

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Why technology matters for the wind industry

The scale of wind deployments is increasing rapidly, with offshore wind farms becoming larger and more remote, bringing both greater energy production potential and greater challenges for the industry’s suppliers and contractors. Amid these new challenges, the pressure on the wind industry to deliver on objectives, exacerbated by the expectations outlined at COP26, has already started to snowball. A team effort is needed to grow and sustain offshore wind production and maximize the provision of renewable energy.

In the context of providing both construction support, and operations and maintenance (O&M) services for these offshore wind farms, offshore energy support vessel (OESV) management is an area facing its own set of challenges — not only in developing vessels and crew with the versatility and expertise to transport technicians to site, but crucially in preserving the technical and operational availability of this fleet.

As the offshore wind industry faces game-changing challenges within the transition to renewable energy, the construction, operation, and maintenance of offshore wind installations are of paramount importance in preserving the sector’s ability to step up to the plate and carry the world forward into a zero-carbon future. (Courtesy: Shutterstock)

Ensuring the world’s emerging and operational offshore wind farms have vessels and crews that meet their stringent requirements is critical to upholding offshore wind’s position in the future energy mix. This means ensuring maximum availability of service, as well as compliance with health and safety, environmental requirements, and other industry regulations. OESV operators need an at-a-glance, comprehensive oversight of their operations so they can focus on the fast balls of changing market conditions.

Digitalization is gaining momentum in all industries, and the offshore wind industry needs to keep pace in embracing technology’s potential to simplify process management and support decision-making. The industry requires the safest, most reliable services to build and operate the wind assets that rank so highly on the environmental agenda. Those OESV fleet managers who embrace technical innovation in the form of integrated digital management systems (DMS) arm themselves and their customers with the ability to record and report data against these KPIs and grant themselves a competitive advantage over their peers.

What is a Digital Management System?

Digital management systems provide fleet managers with a means to manage large volumes of crew and vessel data to inform critical decision making. Digitized systems are not new to the OESV sector, but the systems available to fleet managers currently tend to work in isolation with individual data streams. This leaves fleet managers trying to glean insights from siloed datasets of varying quality, with opportunities for improvement slipping between the gaps.

Integrated DMSs offer fleet managers a centralized view of all data streams within a single interface — a one-stop-shop solution that grants a complete overview of their vessel and crew, as well as the ability to plan maintenance timelines, manage and guide operational performance, check and manage fuel consumption, make proactive safety precautions and monitor incidents, optimize health and safety of their staff, and remain compliant. DMSs will also ensure an operator’s KPIs for their business and stakeholders are prioritized, supporting operational delivery to the highest standards and measuring success across various elements of vessel management.

Key advantages for OESV managers

With vessels providing the backbone for the support of long-term offshore wind projects and with these projects growing more complex to service, the need for data-enabled insights to drive strategic decisions is more pressing than ever. CrewSmart has built its expertise in delivering end-to-end crew and fleet management support service for all personnel, operational, commercial, and financial maritime management requirements.

Four key areas emerge in which CrewSmart demonstrates how integrated management systems can intelligently makes managers’ lives easier in the OESV space and offers tangible advantages for offshore wind construction, operation, and maintenance:

Alongside compliance management of personnel documentation, crew managers using CrewSmart can manage and monitor personnel movements, assigning them to vessels and preparing travel logistics. (Courtesy: CrewSmart)

Compliance

Compliance is essential for mitigating legal, reputational, and financial risks to your business, and with stricter regulation of the offshore wind sector and its supply chain in play, these risks are evolving in magnitude. A slip in compliance can take vessels and crews out of circulation in the best of scenarios or generate considerable risks to personnel and projects at worst. CrewSmart’s DMS grants complete compliance oversight of vessel and equipment certification, inventory, planned maintenance, and safety management. These compliance metrics scale across crew qualifications and training, too, as well as visas and work permits for effective crew management, while shared access from crews and shoreside staff shares the administrative burden and fosters a greater culture of compliance across the team.

Oversight

For effective decision-making, fleet managers need full visibility of critical operational activity on one platform. An effective digital management system should operate as a single point of access for all essential company data, and should encompass personnel, operational, commercial, and financial information, while empowering these teams and departments to take ownership of their responsibilities within the system.

Alongside compliance management of personnel documentation, crew managers using CrewSmart can manage and monitor personnel movements, assigning them to vessels and preparing travel logistics; meanwhile, commercial managers gain oversight over contract and documentation management. Financial managers can cross-reference information logged by personnel with deployed hours and client KPIs to simplify and evidence data for billing, and crew and technicians can use the same platform to access time-sensitive information for planning maintenance schedules to ensure maximum vessel availability for customers.

Efficiency

Efficiency is so often talked about, but so difficult to prove, that it fringes the territory of industry buzz words with almost no meaning. The effect of efficiency improvements for the end user depends on an understanding of what form that efficiency takes. In the case of CrewSmart, efficiency equals time and resources saved through simplified business workflows and the more effective deployment of resources against management priorities.

With an integrated DMS, fleet managers can cross-reference multiple data streams to highlight and address pinch points in resources — whether they be personnel, vessels, or equipment — before they generate an adverse effect for the customer. Equally, this information enables identification of the best opportunities for resource deployment for both the customer and the team.

CrewSmart’s integrated DMS allows fleet managers to cross-reference multiple data streams to highlight and address pinch points in resources. (Courtesy: CrewSmart)

Value for customers

Critical to the success of any business is the ability to evidence the value of the service it provides to its customers; this is especially true in the OESV sector where offshore wind customers, under pressure from investors and regulators, seek to understand their supply chains in far greater depth. Integrated DMSs make this a far simpler task than other alternatives and empower fleet managers to deliver and evidence the highest standards of service to customers against their core KPIs.

CrewSmart’s ability to minimize off-hire events such as unplanned breakdowns or regulatory breaches through continued tracking and monitoring and facilitate predictive maintenance to keep assets healthy and compliant for longer periods, enables the regular fulfilment of customer objectives and preserves positive, transparent relationships, which invariably generate both continued business and new sales.

Conclusion

As the offshore wind industry faces game-changing challenges within the transition to renewable energy, the construction, operation, and maintenance of offshore wind installations are of paramount importance in preserving the sector’s ability to step up to the plate and carry the world forward into a zero-carbon future. Regulations, compliance, and health and safety standards within the supply chain are considerations beyond the direct control of offshore wind players, yet they have the potential to stop projects in their tracks. These pioneering energy leaders need to rest assured that their supply partners are equipped to deal with these challenges.

CrewSmart specializes in the provision of digital management solutions for fleet managers and vessel operators, with a particular niche in the offshore wind support space. The stakes are high for its supply chain to meet growing demands and increasingly complex objectives — and it recognizes the importance of digitized processes in enabling the offshore support sector to drive its offshore wind partners through this journey. OESV operators share the responsibility of their customers in delivering a zero-emissions energy future. Integrated digital management systems, like CrewSmart, empower them to realize the full potential of this opportunity.

Case study: Wind farm built despite challenges

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Case study: Wind farm built despite challenges

Most construction crews build on urban or suburban sites and transport equipment on existing roads, but in the world of wind farms, extreme conditions are the norm. For the Boldt Company, neither wind nor weather, nor dark of night got in the way of completing a challenging wind farm in rural Illinois.

Leeward Renewable Energy’s Lone Tree Wind Farm site consisted of soybean and corn fields spread over roughly 20 square miles. When Boldt received the order to build 32 wind turbines, it was on a site with no access roads, supporting utilities, or facilities for work. Leeward Renewable Energy was expanding its existing wind farms in Illinois and charged Boldt with assembling the team and suppliers to make it happen.

The 2.3- and 2.8-MW wind-turbine generators were 262 to 292 feet from ground to nacelle rotor hub, and the rotor diameter of the blades was 380 to 416 feet. The turbines were anchored in foundations of about 450 cubic yards of steel-reinforced concrete. While the Boldt Company has been building wind farms since the early 2000s across the United States, this site presented a few unusual challenges.

Boldt needed two massive Manitowoc Cranes for lifting the wind-tower components plus an auxiliary crane to support each main crane. (Courtesy: Boldt)

Wild winds

The summer of 2020 was a record year for more than the pandemic. Wild weather blew across the plains and hit Illinois with a vengeance in early fall. Boldt crews planned for 20 days of weather delay in an already tight six-month schedule and used several of them to cover high-wind events on the jobsite.

Boldt project manager Mitch Cole monitored weather conditions daily with dataloggers placed at the top of the cranes to monitor wind speeds. A Bluetooth connection enabled collectors to accurately measure wind speed and transmit data to ground crews so they can make real time decisions to safely continue or postpone crane lifts.

“It was clear that we could not make lifts in the high winds,” Cole said. “Even though we were getting to the end of the project when these conditions occurred, we needed to take our time to be safe. Turbine components on the crane hook in such conditions act as one big sail.”

Night work is not unusual in the power industry, but when the jobsite is in the middle of a farm field, it’s a new set of problems. (Courtesy: Boldt)

Sustained high winds forced Boldt to work at night when winds died down.

Night work is not unusual in the power industry, but when the jobsite is in the middle of a farm field, it’s a new set of problems. Boldt’s safety team was mustered to create a plan that identified any potential problem created by working in the dark.

“We had to keep the crew contained so we knew where they were; we had light plants on the tower site, the staging site, the walkways, and we had to ensure the crew had extra gear for working during colder night shifts,” Cole said.

At this late stage in construction, crews had completed 25 towers, and the experience of planning and rehearsing the component lifts was already under their belts. Top-out crews hooked hundreds of feet of tag line to top-tower sections, nacelles, and rotors and successfully executed all nighttime lifts safely and without issue.

“From my vantage, it almost seemed easier working at night,” Cole said. “The hustle and bustle of the jobsite was reduced, and the only thing we dealt with was the task at hand. It seemed the guys were more focused on what we were doing.”

The towers, hubs, and blades were delivered and assembled at the base of the tower. (Courtesy: Boldt)

Getting there was half the problem

Before any heavy lifting started, the logistics of getting equipment and components properly delivered and staged were a major issue. The towers, hubs, and blades were delivered and assembled at the base of the tower. However, due to supplier schedule issues and to avoid demerge charges, the nacelles and generators were delivered first to a pre-designated 13-acre laydown area for staging, then to each turbine location only when ready for installation. This planning provided for an efficient execution of the work.

“This decision almost doubled our offload speed for overall component delivery,” Cole said. “It also kept the nacelles and generators in a stable and safe area where we didn’t have to deal with them potentially sinking into a farm field.”

Boldt needed two massive Manitowoc Cranes for lifting the wind-tower components plus an auxiliary crane to support each main crane. The larger cranes alone weighed more than 1 million pounds and needed to be walked across miles of farm fields. To limit the risk of a crane tipping during construction, crews first reviewed geotechnical information to determine how much weight the ground could tolerate. This assessment resulted in use of about a half mile of timber mats for the cranes to travel on between the 32 locations.

“When cranes ‘walk,’ they exert about 3,600 pounds per square foot on the ground,” Cole said. “Had we not tested the site and reinforced the crane travel paths, we would have had a potentially dangerous situation.”

Boldt uses a customized production system that includes elements of Integrated Lean Project Delivery®, which features a high degree of collaboration early in the construction process. (Courtesy: Boldt)

Collaboration keeps schedules on time

Leeward Renewable Energy procured all wind-turbine generator components from GE Renewable Energy, and Cole credits GE’s involvement with delivering a successful project. The firm supplied components for all 32 units and contributed significantly in the successful planning and scheduling throughout the project.

“We didn’t want a cluster of trucks coming cross-country all showing up at the same time, as that makes it difficult for both parties,” Cole said. “We made sure GE knew our exact schedule, the sites we wanted to offload at, and which components were needed when.”

While the Boldt Company has been building wind farms since the early 2000s across the United States, construction of the Lone Tree Wind Farm presented a few unusual challenges. (Courtesy: Boldt)

Boldt uses a customized production system that includes elements of Integrated Lean Project Delivery®, which features a high degree of collaboration early in the construction process. In this process, construction managers, subcontractors, owners, and suppliers all participate in setting schedules and building value in the process. The result is a more streamlined approach to planning, managing production schedules and budgets, and ultimately, the efficient execution of the work.

The project and all 32 towers were completed on time and on budget by the November 2020 deadline.

Fisher Renewables names new managing director

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Fisher Renewables names new managing director

James Fisher Renewables has appointed Wayne Mulhall, managing director of EDS HV Group, as Fisher Renewables’ managing director.

Appointed managing director of EDS HV Group (EDS), part of James Fisher Renewables (JF Renewables), in August of this year, Mulhall will now also oversee the running of JF Renewables. All renewable activities across the James Fisher and Sons group are now consolidated under the one brand.

Wayne Mulhall is James Fisher Renewables’ new managing director. (Courtesy: James Fisher Renewables)

“I am delighted to accept the role of managing director at JF Renewables,” Mulhall said. “This is highly complementary to my role as EDS managing director and overseeing both businesses means that we will be able to more effectively view and implement the offering that JF Renewables can bring to the market across the whole James Fisher and Sons group.

JF Renewables at its core is about leveraging the group’s experience and expertise together with the niche capabilities offered by its operating companies. For this reason, it is particularly relevant that we are bringing the expertise from within these operating companies to enable JF Renewables to help offshore developers accelerate the energy transition.”

Mulhall brings to the business significant experience in the offshore wind industry, having held a senior role at MHI Vestas Offshore Wind and prior to this, senior positions at Siemens Gamesa and Rolls Royce.

Ryan Calvert, EDS Strategy, sales and commercial director has also joined the leadership team as James Fisher Renewables’ head of sales (Europe). Calvert stood in as interim managing director for EDS before Mulhall’s appointment.

“Since 2010, I’ve been fully embedded in the renewables journey from hands on work on offshore wind farms to joining the EDS management team in 2014 as operations director,” Calvert said. “During my time at EDS, I’ve led the strategy and innovation of the business, and I’m thrilled to be able to bring this experience into my additional role as head of sales (Europe) for JF Renewables. With our combined capabilities, JF Renewables is ideally placed to help offshore wind developers and contractors meet their nation states’ global net zero goals and energy independence.”

Launched in March 2020, JF Renewables aligns the specialist capabilities from existing James Fisher and Sons group companies. Since the launch, the business has had a number of high-profile contract wins including undertaking work for customers such as RWE and Iberdrola. The business supports pure-play renewables developers, marine civil constructors, and oil and gas majors alike in pushing the boundaries of what is possible to accelerate the energy transition, while maintaining existing energy infrastructure.

More info jamesfisherrenewables.com

Prysmian Group Launches Renewables+ Program

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Prysmian Group Launches Renewables+ Program

Prysmian Group, a leader in the energy and telecommunications cable systems industry, is taking steps toward decarbonization with Renewables+, a program that is a sustainable solution to help reduce CO2 emissions in wind and solar projects. The program will also ensure design optimization and prevention in renewable electrical systems.

“Prysmian Group is fully committed to supporting our renewable energy customers and partners in building the U.S. clean-energy infrastructure and facilitating the region’s energy transition and diversification to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Joe Debolt, VP of sales PD renewables at Prysmian Group North America. “Our world-class products and solutions go beyond the cable and enable our customers and communities to meet today’s great challenges and aim to bring the world one step closer to a carbon-free future.”

The new Renewables+ program includes:

  • CL AdvantageTM MV Cable: Medium voltage power distribution cable designed with a compact aluminum conductor, flat strap neutral and crosslinked jacket with smaller diameter and lower weight.
  • ALESEA: Inventory management and tracking system that features a smart device installed on the cable drum, allowing for more efficient geo-localization and tracking.
  • PRY-CAM: Technology for monitoring, condition assessment and asset management of electrical systems, helping monitor and prevent failures.
  • Prysmian Accessories & Splice Kits: Accessories for glanding, jointing, connecting and terminating.

More info na.prysmiangroup.com/sustainability

GCube unveils renewable energy insurance service

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GCube unveils renewable energy insurance service

GCube, a renewable energy project underwriter, has launched a new data-powered insurance service that will use AI-led analytics and data sets to offer enhanced terms and reduced premiums for wind and solar operating companies.

Renewable energy insurance has, in the last 10 years, been characterized by significant losses, and the severity of claims has increased as wind and solar industries expand in scale. Renewable energy project operators are facing rising insurance costs.

GCube assists its clients in identifying, quantifying and mitigating risk while helping them achieve their business objectives. (Courtesy: GCube)

GCube signed with Clir to leverage data from more than 200 GW of operating assets. Insurers will be better able to provide more accurate quotes, and thereby, in a move designed to support the sustainable growth of the renewables industry in the long term, GCube has signed with Clir to leverage data from over 200 GW of operating assets. By having Clir onboard a wind portfolio’s data set onto its platform, GCube can uncover the asset’s meteorological and operational loading, overall component health and reliability, and the impact of current operations and maintenance.

These insights give GCube clarity on its underwriting pricing and offer more competitive terms where operating projects model with lower risk factors.

“Insuring renewable energy has been a tumultuous process over the last decade,” said Fraser McLachlan, chief executive officer, GCube Insurance Inc. “Claims from equipment failure, natural catastrophe loss, and contractor error have forced some underwriters to exit the market. To continue to offer insurance at sustainable rates for clients, we need to have deeper insights into the risk of failure and operational management of renewable energy equipment.”

“By utilizing the data analysis from Clir, we can gain these insights at the quote phase in a unique and highly effective process, which benefits clients through a better understanding of their project risks, and, incentivises best practice in the operational asset management of wind and solar,” he said.

“It’s our belief at Clir that the only way to continue to drive a lower levelized cost of energy for renewables, is to positively influence the financial imperatives that drive renewable energy pricing — insurance, project acquisition, and power management,” said Gareth Brown, Clir’s chief executive officer.

“We’ve seen insurance in other sectors become more competitive, and better serve the needs of its clients, through utilizing AI-led approaches to data — be that telematics for motor insurance, or wearable technologies for health coverage — and it’s time that we harnessed the same value for the hugely important task of building and sustaining low carbon power generation,” McLachlan said.

More info www.gcube-insurance.com

Dominion Energy selects offshore wind suppliers for Virginia site

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Dominion Energy selects offshore wind suppliers for Virginia site

Dominion Energy has selected some offshore wind supplying partners to support Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind, the largest offshore wind farm under development in the U.S.
The selections include:

  • DEME Offshore/Prysmian Group for transportation and installation of balance of plant, subsea cable supply and installation.
  • Bladt Industries to supply transition pieces.
  • Bladt and Semco to supply three offshore substations.
  • EEW SPC to supply steel monopile foundations.

In 2020, Dominion announced wind-turbine manufacturer Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy as the preferred turbine supplier for the 176 14.7-MW turbines to be installed in the 112,800-acre commercial lease area.

CVOW is a vital part of Dominion Energy’s clean energy strategy to achieve the company’s net zero carbon dioxide and methane emissions by 2050. (Courtesy: Dominion Energy)

“We are moving the CVOW project forward by working with industry leaders as we bring utility scale offshore wind generation to our Virginia customers,” said Joshua Bennett, Dominion Energy vice president of offshore wind. “These contracts will allow us to manage costs for the benefit of our customers and take advantage of the developing domestic supply chain to deliver on our promise to bring clean-energy jobs to Hampton Roads.”

EEW SPC, with more than 80 years of experience in production of steel pipe and corresponding pipe components, will manufacture 176 steel monopile foundations, the largest of which will be 268 feet long and weigh 1,755 tons.

“With the construction of Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind, Dominion Energy is getting closer to its goal of being carbon neutral, in terms of power generation, by 2050, and we are pleased that we can also do our part,” said Heiko Mützelburg, CEO/Managing Director of EEW SPC.

Bladt Industries will manufacture 176 transition pieces, which weigh as much as 800 tons and bind the monopile foundation and turbine together, while providing physical access to the turbines.

“We are proud to be selected by Dominion Energy for this contract based on our experience and proven track record. Likewise, we are extremely proud to be part of building up the growing American offshore wind industry,” said CEO Anders Søe-Jensen from Bladt Industries.

Bladt Industries and Semco Maritime will manufacture components for the three offshore substations, which are multi-story units weighing about 4,000 tons each, a topside platform with helicopter landing pad 157 feet above the water and support structures installed in the sea floor.

“We are proud of the contract for three 880 MW substations, which we consider a vote of confidence in Semco’s and Bladt’s tried and tested partnership and our strong track record of delivering competitive projects within electrical infrastructure for offshore wind through two decades,” says Steen Brødbæk, CEO, Semco Maritime.

DEME Offshore US LLC and Prysmian Group will provide the balance of plant services, including the transportation and installation of the foundation and substation components, and install the subsea cables.

Prysmian Group, a global leader in the energy and telecom cable systems industry will provide all of the subsea inter-array and export cables that will deliver the renewable offshore wind energy to shore.

Monopile foundations, transition pieces, and turbine components will be staged on 72 acres at Portsmouth Marine Terminal (PMT) as part of a 10-year lease agreement with the Virginia Port Authority. Doing so will employ union jobs such as longshoremen, stevedores, crane operators and other building and construction trade jobs, as well as skilled labor from the North America’s Building Trade Union and its state affiliate Virginia Building Trades.

More info www.dominionenergy.com

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