KOD
Access to a new kind of technology has been provided to UK Wind farm developers. The technology essentially allows huge Wind Turbines to be erected, without being hammered deep into the ocean floor.
The technique itself is derived from those used within the oil and gas industry. Such a method uses pressurised chambers to secure foundations just 7 meters beneath the sea bed.
The process uses a three legged structure, with large bucket like legs. This structure is lowered onto the seabed where then pumps are used to create a pressure difference within the three buckets. This vast amounts of pressure combined with the overall weight of the structure, securely fixes it into the soil, ready for further construction.
‘You have a complete structure – it’s only one installation – so the buckets are an integrated part of the foundation.’ (Dong Energy project manager Jonas Wittrup-Jensen).
As well as causing less ocean bed damage, the process also offers other benefits. The pressure pumps are powered by smaller 30kW generators, using less power themselves and producing little to no noise comparatively to the older piling generators.
This new and potentially game changing technology is to be granted to the UK shortly, however for now it is being tested by Danish energy company DONG. DONG received £6million from The Carbon Trust to trial this new technology. Reporting’s from these trials will be provided to at least ScottishPower and E.ON, to aid their decision in the technology’s application to the UK industry.
Currently testing the Suction bucket jacket technology, DONG Energy vice-president Tove Feld said –
"It's a great day for us. We've now installed the very first suction bucket jacket in the offshore wind industry. The reduction in cost of electricity and our ability to utilise some of the more challenging sites further from shore and in deeper water show some of the potential that this concept has. I'm very excited to see that the cooperation between the partners in this project, not least with Carbon Trust in the UK, is paying off with specific results."
Quickly gaining interest and with its commercial applications becoming ever more clear, this new technology is definitely one to watch.
References:
http://www.power-technology.com/news/newssuction-bucket-jacket-installed-at-borkum-riffgrund-1-offshore-wind-farm-in-germany-4358094
http://www.theengineer.co.uk/energy/news/offshore-windfarms-look-to-suction-buckets-for-easier-installation/1019167.article
Image sourced:
http://www.freedigitalphotos