EVENT FEATURE
Concrete gravity foundations by being UK sourced can help meet the objective of a UK input and content of up to 60% for offshore windfarms.”
ENERGY SECURITY
The potential of renewables to provide the UK with energy security was highlighted by David Curran of DECC. He called for a major programme of investment in a mix of nuclear and renewable energy and believed that the newly agreed low carbon subsidy system would provide the assurance of necessary funding for renewable energy development by providing stabilised income streams. This is important if developers are to be attracted to invest in renewables. Making such investment more attractive will support the development of offshore wind farm projects.
ATTRACTIVE INVESTMENT ENVIRONMENT It is important that the UK benefits from providing the framework for an attractive investment environment. One of the best ways of ensuring this is to ensure a high UK content in offshore windfarms in terms of material supply and workforce. This, explained Chris Willow of BVG Associates, has an important political message: “Having a real measured UK content in offshore windfarms demonstrates ‘payback’ for subsidies and links their development to UK jobs and investment.
NEW GENERATION GRAVITY BASES Against this background, the concrete sector has developed a new generation of gravity bases that offer particular advantages for offshore locations. Concrete gravity bases, typically in the form of cellular caissons ballasted with gravel or sand, are low maintenance, have considerable design flexibility and whole life cost efficiencies. In particular, the high damping properties of concrete minimises vibration. This negates potential structural fatigue. Onshore construction of the concrete bases provides certainty of programme as potential weather delays are minimised whilst the development of innovative placement techniques eases the installation process and minimises the use of expensive heavy lifting equipment. “Ongoing technological construction and installation developments for concrete gravity bases will add to their advantages by helping to deliver construction, installation and operation cost reductions for offshore windfarms” explained Alan Bromage for MPA The Concrete Centre.
ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS The avoidance of piling during installation is a major environmental benefit of concrete gravity bases over other foundation types that require driving steel piles into the sea bed. “No piling is required for gravity concrete bases. They are lowered into position”, explained Ian Reach of Marine Space. “The
avoidance of piling noise installation is an environmental advantage for concrete gravity bases as the impact on marine life from piling noise is likely to lead to planning conditions being applied resulting in project delays and increased costs. With this in mind,
retaining concrete gravity bases as an option through the planning process is a prudent priority for developers.”
Monopiles, steel jackets, tripods and floating platforms all require drilling or hammer piling to secure then to the seabed. The noise and vibration impact of this will increase due to increased size of the foundations necessary for Round 3 deep water locations. The resultant sound pressure waves from piling, drilling and hammering could be at levels high enough to cause death, damage and displacement of marine animals, sensitive fish species and some fish eggs and larvae. Domestic and international environmental legislation, such as the Habitats Directive and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, now reflect the serious consideration of these possible effects.
The attractiveness for developers of removing the environmental issue of piling noise was underlined by Adam Pharaoh of Royal HaskoningDHV who stated: “Developers would be bound to prefer non-piled foundations it they were technically proven and cost effective. If this critical point is reached in the development of low-noise foundations, people may then start ruling out piling to reduce their consenting risk.”
SECURE AND SUSTAINABLE ENERGY SUPPLY
“Encouraged by the coming together of product and supply chain development, the provision of planning consent frameworks and stabilised investment environment plus the growing recognition of the benefits of concrete gravity foundations for offshore locations, particularly for the deep waters of Round Three, the concrete sector is ready to play its part in ensuring that the UK has a secure and sustainable energy supply” said Bromage.
MPA Concrete Centre
www.concretecentre.com
Click to view more info
www.windenergynetwork.co.uk
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