A new joint industry partnership has been formed to identify areas suitable for stowing wind turbines while they await installation.
By moving turbines offshore once they are assembled, quaysides and inner-harbour can be kept free and used to put together more units, keeping the supply chain ticking along.
Investigations are being carried out by TS-Flow JIP, led by Offshore Solutions Group and delivered in partnership with HR Wallingford.
Five areas in the Celtic Sea have recently been released for floating wind farm developments in a bid to reach the UK government’s 5 gigawatts (GW) by 2030 target.
A vast quantity of work will materialise, putting a big strain on infrastructure in the region.
To ensure that companies are able to benefit from the offshore wind boom, ports need to be optimised so that the construction, assembly, and installation of turbines can take place.
The TS-Flow JIP brings together developers, port authorities, installers and other parties working in the Celtic Sea for the first time.
In its first phase, the initiative will carry out a technical assessment to identify potential locations for stacking floating turbines.
It will also draw up an outline of the required permitting framework, technical constraints, and practical considerations.
Subsequent phases will explore how to transform potential sites into usable locations.
Commenting on the launch of the TS-Flow JIP, Will Rowley, group chief executive at Offshore Solutions Group noted: “This joint industry partnership is recognition of the need for advanced planning and technical solutions by the floating wind industry to support large-scale local delivery of floating wind solutions.
“We welcome the support of the developers and partners involved and the positive recognition of this initiative received from regulators and the UK government.”
Iain Gunn, energy sector lead at HR Wallingford said: “Keeping operations moving is a critical issue for the floating wind industry, and the team at HR Wallingford is excited to apply our site selection expertise to the challenge.”
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