Fugro has completed offshore works undertaken in preparation for full construction of the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre at Aberdeen Bay, Scotland. This new facility will provide a platform for the first run of production offshore wind turbines to demonstrate their potential.
The European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC), also known as Aberdeen Offshore Wind Farm, will allow offshore wind farm developers and associated supply chain companies to test new designs, check existing products and receive independent validation and accreditation before commercial deployment. This will contribute to reducing development risks and lowering capital costs, and provide an opportunity to test reliability and capacity in a real time, offshore environment.
The geotechnical site investigation took place at 11 turbine locations to assess the seabed, with the data acquired being used to inform the final design and micro-siting of the turbine foundations. The data and samples acquired during the field phase were transferred to Fugro’s Wallingford laboratory and offices for further analysis and reporting. Full offshore construction is scheduled to start in late 2017 or early 2018, after an investment decision later this year.
“A two phased approach was adopted over a period of 11 days. During the first phase we conducted seabed CPTs and seismic CPTs down to refusal at each of the turbine locations, and in the second phase we drilled three boreholes,” explained Dennis van den Bulk, Fugro’s Senior Project Manager.
The site investigation work was on behalf of Aberdeen Offshore Wind Farm Limited (AOWFL). Vattenfall and Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG) are the partners behind AOWFL. Andy Paine, Head of UK offshore wind development for Vattenfall and Project Director for AOWFL, said: “The pioneering EOWDC will help establish the north east of Scotland as a global centre of innovation for the offshore wind industry. It is through test and demonstration of next generation products and services that offshore wind will become a low cost sector.”
Silke Funke / Fugro
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