METMASTS FEATURE METMASTS
A TRIAL RUN FOR OFFSHORE WIND TURBINE FOUNDATIONS
Meteorological masts are a necessary tool to assess the wind resource and the future profitability of wind farms. But they also can be used to de-risk the future development in many other ways.
FACTORS TO CONSIDER
One of the major risks of future large-scale wind farms on the UKCS is the cost of foundations for offshore wind turbines and their installation. There are several factors at play.
• which turbines are going to be used? – larger turbines will inevitably require heavier and more robust foundations
• deeper on average waters will require taller and larger foundations
• further from shore locations will put a strain on logistics of delivering these heavier and larger structures to the installation site and their installation
• just the sheer scale of these developments, many of which will start construction almost simultaneously, is a challenge by itself
PREPARATION ENSURES SUCCESS Some of the offshore wind developers have realised that the success is in preparation and have used met masts as a test for offshore WTG foundations and installation methods.
It benefits the developer, who is able to evaluate the technological advantages and disadvantages of a particular foundation type, the costs of fabrication, transportation and installation.
Kirill Glukhovskoy – Director, Corporate & Business Development
It also helps companies with innovative approaches to foundations to gain the track record, receive
OFFSHORE METMAST INSTRUMENTATION
Traditionally site conditions are measured using a meteorological mast, which hold instruments measuring wind speed, wind direction and atmospheric conditions at various heights.
The primary function of any met mast project is to collect high quality data and performing this work offshore offers exciting new challenges and opportunities.
A CHALLENGE
Limited access windows at sea mean that it is essential that met masts offshore are stand-alone solutions offering remote access and control options to ensure good data availability and minimising costly site intervention visits. Achieving this while still producing high quality data is a challenge which requires careful design of the interfaces between measurement instrumentation, navigation equipment, communication systems, and power delivery.
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www.windenergynetwork.co.uk GUIDELINES
Several guidelines are in place to help designers achieve complete, reliable solutions. the IEC 61400:12:1, IEA Recommended practices on Wind Speed Measurement and the Use of Cup Anemometry, and MEASNEt cup anemometer calibration all ensure that met masts provide bankable wind speed data.
The IALA Marking of Offshore Man-Made Structures and Civil Aviation guidelines are all in place to ensure that offshore met masts do not present a hazard to passing ships or airplanes, and to give minimum operational guidelines in terms of power autonomy in the event of a power or instrument failure.
MAINTENANCE
Maintenance requirements for met masts must also be considered when specifying systems. Finding equipment which can be attended to without the use of specialist tools or lifting equipment is of vital importance offshore. Safety must be guaranteed offshore, so maintenance schedules must be specified to avoid potentially dangerous situations.
Making sure that maintenance schedules are as clear and concise as possible will also ensure a good relationship with offshore contractors!
very useful feedback and test installation methods. However, there is still a significant difference between a foundation for a met mast and a foundation for a wind turbine.
BESPOKE DESIGN CRITERIA A met mast foundation can be designed with a particular turbine in mind. This will provide even more certainty about the construction methods and costs of future foundations and their installation in a lower risk environment. It will also simplify future certification work and acceptance of such foundations by bankers and insurance companies.
In the situation when there are no currently available demonstration sites for deep water foundations in the UK, met mast projects are increasingly important as testing grounds.
REDUCING RISK
As an outcome, met mast projects become a versatile tool for reducing the risk of future offshore wind developments at a marginal cost rather than just an expenditure to be scrapped in the future.
Aquind OGN
www.ogn-group.com Click to view more info
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