As wind turbines grow in size, they become more expensive to manufacture, but larger and larger units continue to drive down the cost of electricity from offshore wind.

2020 has seen leading manufacturers of offshore wind turbines unveil new, larger, higher capacity units. Siemens Gamesa’s 14-MW offshore wind turbine (which is expected to be capable of 15 MW in due course) is set to become commercially available from the mid-2020s and larger versions of existing turbines are in development elsewhere, not least GE Renewable Energy’s Haliade-X and a new turbine from MHI Vestas Offshore Wind.

Larger turbines are more expensive to manufacture, but analysis by Rystad Energy demonstrates that, although they are more expensive, using new-generation turbines reduces overall costs for large-scale offshore windfarms.

This is because the additional cost involved in manufacturing giant turbines is mitigated by the need to install fewer of them, and the efficiency gains associated with more technologically advanced turbines.

Every turbine also needs a foundation, so the overall number of foundations required for a project decreases, as does the need for array cables.

Rystad Energy analysed the cost of using turbines of differing sizes for a 1-GW offshore project. Utilising 14–MW turbines instead of 10–MW units, the number required for a 1 GW project falls by 28 units, from 100 to 72. Moving to a 14–MW turbine from a 12–MW turbine still offers a reduction of nearly 11 units.

Overall, the analysis shows that using the largest turbines for a new 1–GW windfarm can provide cost savings of nearly US$100M, compared to installing currently available 10–MW turbines.

Rystad Energy product manager offshore wind Alexander Flotre says, “Siemens Gamesa’s latest turbine is a step towards dramatically reducing development and levelised costs worldwide.

“With larger turbines come greater savings and greater revenue generation potential over the duration of projects, increasing the offshore wind industry’s competitiveness.”

Rystad Energy assumes the cost of a turbine is approximately US$800,000 per MW on average for currently available units, that is, turbines with a nameplate capacity of up to 10 MW, with a 2.5% premium applied for each additional MW for the larger units expected in the medium-term, to reflect anticipated efforts by manufacturers to capture upside.

“For this analysis, we estimate the cost of a 10–MW turbine is US$8M, while a 12–MW and a 14–MW turbine would cost approximately US$10.1M and US$12.3M, respectively,” says Rystad Energy.

“Moving from a 10–MW turbine to a 14–MW turbine could result in higher costs, of approximately US$85M for manufacturing. Utilising a 14–MW turbine in lieu of a 12–MW unit could add almost US$45M to manufacturing costs.”

Foundations are the main components that offer opportunities for cost reductions if larger turbines are utilised. Rystad Energy estimates that a foundation typically costs between US$3M and US$4M, with variations relating largely to foundation type and water depth.

In a 10 MW to 14 MW switch, cost savings could exceed US$100M for the developer, while savings in a 12–MW to 14–MW scenario would range from US$30M to US$50M.

The cost of array cables varies based on the turbine size. While the use of larger turbines implies potential cost savings through fewer foundations, the added length required for array cables for 14–MW turbines is likely to keep overall cable costs flat. However, the lower turbine count reduces the number of cabling runs and connection of turbines to the offshore substation, which in turn could cut installation costs.

“This analysis shows that although larger units are expected to drive up the cost of turbines, reductions from other segments – namely foundations – could result in cost savings of US$100M to US$120M in manufacturing costs alone, helping to offset some of the developer’s expenses,” says Rystad Energy.

Rystad Energy also estimates the cost of installing a turbine ranges from US$0.5M to US$1M, and the cost of installing foundations ranges from US$1M to US$1.5M per unit.

Using the midpoint in each range, for a 1–GW project the implied savings exceed US$50M when using 14–MW instead of 10–MW units. Comparing 14–MW with 12–MW turbines, potential savings exceed US$20M.

Furthermore, the reduction in cabling runs and connections due to the lower number of array cables could lead to additional savings of between US$5M and US$15M, when using 14–MW turbines rather than 12–MW and 10–MW turbines.

In addition to potential cost savings from reducing the number of units required, the increase in turbine size can also drive other efficiency gains. Rystad Energy analysed the potential reduction in the levelised cost of energy (LCOE) using Equinor’s Empire Wind in the US as a case study.

In this case, using 10–MW turbines, the estimated LCOE is approximately US$75/MWh. Opting for 12–MW turbines, LCOE falls to approximately US$71/MWh. With a further upgrade to 14–MW turbines, LCOE is estimated to be US$68/MWh.

“With the incremental increase in size, turbines and offshore windfarms become more economical – not just in terms of reduced upfront costs, but also in longer-term power generation potential,” Rystad Energy concludes.

GE to provide 13-MW version of Haliade-X for Dogger Bank

GE Renewable Energy is to supply an uprated version of its Haliade-X offshore wind turbine for the massive Dogger Bank offshore windfarm in the UK.

Dogger Bank Wind Farm and GE Renewable Energy signed a contract on 22 September 2020 for 13-MW Haliade-X turbines for the Dogger Bank A and Dogger Bank B phases of the project. When launched, the Haliade-X was described as a 12-MW unit.

The award, which is subject to Dogger Bank A and B reaching financial close, covers the supply of 190 Haliade-X 13-MW turbines, split evenly at 95 turbines for each of the first two phases of the project.

The Haliade-X 13MW is an enhanced version of the successful 12-MW prototype unit which has been generating power in Rotterdam since November 2019 and recently secured its provisional type certificate from DNV GL.

The prototype unit, which set a world record in January 2020 by being the first wind turbine to produce 288 MWh in one day, will start operating at 13 MW in the coming months as part of its ongoing testing and certification process.

As part of the agreement with SSE, GE Renewable Energy will establish its marshalling harbour activities at Able Seaton Port in Hartlepool which will serve as the base for turbine service equipment, installation and commissioning activities for Dogger Bank A and B.

This will see the delivery of components for the 13-MW wind turbines to the port, including the nacelle, three tower sections and three 107-m long blades, for pre-assembly onsite at Able Seaton prior to transport out to the North Sea for installation. This activity will lead to 120 skilled jobs at the port during construction. Turbine installation is expected to commence in 2023 at Dogger Bank A.

The announcement also includes a five-year service and warranty agreement supporting operational jobs in the maintenance of the windfarm.

by David Foxwell

Source:Riviera, Oct 15, 2020

CWind Taiwan has been awarded a balance of plant (BOP) contract for the Formosa 1 offshore wind farm.

The company is providing inspection and maintenance services to the 22 turbines at Formosa 1 Phase 1 and Formosa 1 Phase 2 sites, including internal and external inspections and painting.

Under the contract, signed with Formosa 1 Wind Power Co. ltd (FOWI), CWind has deployed its Taiwan-flagged crew transfer vessel Ocean Surveyor 3 and its in-house technicians in September 2020.

Since Formosa 1 is the first offshore wind farm in Taiwan to move into the operations and maintenance (O&M) phase, the first team of Taiwanese technicians to graduate from CWind Taiwan’s Global Wind Organisation (GWO) training school will work on the project, alongside their colleague senior technicians from CWind in Europe.

The Ocean Surveyor 3 CTV and its crew have been supporting the Formosa 1 project out of the Nanliao fishing harbour since 2016, and now have extensive knowledge of the sea conditions and familiarity with the local authorities there. The company will use the same port for its BOP campaign too, saying that utilising this location increases project efficiency as transit time is minimised.

Formosa 1 entered commercial operation on 27 December 2019.

The 128 MW wind farm consists of the 8 MW Formosa 1 Phase 1, inaugurated in May 2017, and the 120 MW Formosa 1 Phase 2 which was officially commissioned in November 2019.

Formosa 1’s first phase comprises two Siemens Gamesa 4 MW turbines and the second phase features 20 Siemens Gamesa 6 MW turbines.

by Adrijana Buljan

Source: Offshore Energy, Oct 15, 2020

UK-based ROV services provider ROVOP has said it has delivered its first remote platform-based inspection, repair, and maintenance workscope, “effectively reducing the number of personnel required offshore,” on Premier Oil’s Balmoral floating production vessel in the UK North Sea.

The ROV company carried out remote visual and NDT inspections of hull sections, flowlines, umbilicals, and risers, along with chain inspection, measurement, and cleaning, on the Balmoral unit with the help of a live video stream.

“Using the latest communications and modeling technology, ROVOP worked closely with Premier Oil to develop a robust live video streaming service back to shore. Two-way open communications allowed the inspection and data recording engineers to run the workscope remotely from onshore, resulting in three less people on board the vessel, where accommodation is limited due to the COVID-imposed restrictions,” ROVOP said.

Premier Oil, which on Tuesday said it would merge with Chrysaor, last month filed the decommissioning plan for the Balmoral FPV and the associated subsea infrastructure. The Balmoral platform was installed in the Balmoral Area in 1986.

ROVOP said that the cloud-based viewing platform allowed those working from home to view the inspection work as it unfolded.

“They were able to see exactly what the ROV and inspection engineers were seeing in real-time. Data, which would once have taken weeks to return from offshore to be analyzed, was captured as those watching onshore were able to influence the operation live, making the campaign much more efficient,” ROVOP said.

Credit: ROVOP

Also, ROVOP selected subsea mooring inspection and integrity engineering specialists Welaptega, an Ashtead Technology company, to support the project. Welaptega’s mooring inspection and 3D modeling photogrammetry equipment was integrated into the ROV to enable accurate and repeatable chain measurement and 3D modeling of the subsea template.

The point cloud data produced will be used to assist the planning of the template removal, ROVOP said.

The main components of the Balmoral field consist of; the Balmoral FPV, Balmoral Template, 11 template and 10 satellite wells, a riser system, pipelines, umbilicals, and cables.

Paul Hudson, ROVOP’s sales and marketing director, said: “Reducing numbers of people offshore has clear benefits in terms of risk, cost and overall efficiency and, of course, it is particularly relevant when dealing with the challenges presented to the offshore industry by the coronavirus pandemic. This project underlines how digitalization and collaboration can address some of our most pressing industry challenges.”

David Robertson, diving & ROV engineer with Premier Oil, added: “This is a fantastic achievement for both ROVOP and Premier Oil.  Through a lot of hard work and collaboration with respective network technology companies, we managed to de-risk personnel traveling to an offshore installation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Executing work of this nature from an installation is always challenging due to bed space requirements. We have proven that inspection activities can be done with a significant reduction in manpower offshore, which potentially paves the way for cost and greenhouse gas reductions across our other assets in the future”.

Source: Marine Technology Oct 7, 2020

More points to ammonia as a promising zero-emission fuel. When based on wind or solar energy, it is a carbon-neutral option, with the infrastructure already in place, and ready to be mass-produced. After overcoming the challenges such us higher costs and the development of a new engine technology, it may become a part of the future fuel mix.

September 08 2020