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European Offshore Wind Capacity Reaching Critical Mass

Photo Essay Shows How Challenges of Booming Heavy Industry Are Being Solved

By Guest Writer

Mar 21, 2010

By Jerome a Paris

Recent statistics have been published showing that Europe has now installed over 2,000 MW of offshore wind capacity, with more than a quarter installed in the past year and lots more to come in the next few years.

I discussed these numbers in more detail here, but wanted to give you here some insights on what these numbers mean on the ground.

I recently visited the port site in Zeebrugge, Belgium, where the foundations for the Belwind offshore wind farm (the financing of which I worked on) were stored before their installation. This is a good opportunity to give you a glimpse of the kind of logistics involved, and what kind of problems can happen (and how they are solved), on offshore wind installations.

Follow me for a tour of a small bit of Europe's fastest growing heavy industry.

As a quick reminder, there are 3 main types of foundations for offshore turbines: monopiles, gravity-based, and jackets/tripods.

Here are gravity-based foundations and tripods (you can see more pictures here)

Monopiles have typically been used for smaller turbines and lowers depths, as their size (diameter and thickness) needs to increase with the load to be carried and their cost can become an issue. The price of steel will heavily influence the choice between the technologies when several are possible. In this case, with 3 MW turbines in 20 meter depth, monopiles were the most logical choice.

Foundations include two main parts, the foundation itself (the part that's driven into the subsoil) and the transition piece (the part that's affixed on top of the foundation and carries the turbine tower).

The transition piece usually includes the boat landing, access platform and j-tubes (the steel tube that protects the electrical cable going to other turbines and/or the transformer station, it is curved near the ground to allow the cable to go from its underground trench to the turbine, thus its name).

It also plays a vital role in that it corrects any flaws in the verticality of the foundation: turbines require the towers to be within one half degree of perfect verticality in order not to have to bear inappropriate loads, and it is not so easy to hammer 50 meter long steel columns in the sea ground to such precision; the transition piece is designed to be adjusted to provide the perfect position required for the turbine over the water.

Another aspect which requires a lot of precision is the roundness of the foundation and the transition piece. The two of them must fit together (more on this in a second), and the transition piece needs to be in the exact size for the first part of the turbine tower to be bolted on top of it — tolerances are below a centimeter (the bolts are big ones, a couple centimeters thick, but they need to fit in over the whole diameter of the two parts) for equipment measured in tens of meters.

Thank you for your post

Thank you for your post

Critical Mass

The reality is that our demands exceed our energy supply sources that we have at our disposal.  We need to seriously consider going green building sheds in a massive scale or we will soon be out of luck.

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we have bound to reanalyse our means & methods of developements that results in severe environmental crisis, such development like the above article not only satisfacting one but equally praised by all should be followed by all the regions where such facilities are available.

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Thanks a lot for the

Thanks a lot for the informative and interesting publication. www.probicon.de

Potential offshore wind

Potential offshore wind resources in the United State is nearly 1000 GW. Offshore wind development is another means in which can promote energy security for our country as well as planting the necessary jobs to put people back to work. Wind, solar, biofuels, nuclear, renewable and conventionals: all are part of a complete energy portfolio that America desperately needs!

This is a good opportunity to

This is a good opportunity to give you a glimpse of the kind of logistics involved, and what kind of problems can happen (and how they are solved), on offshore wind installations.Offshore wind development is another means in which can promote energy security for our country as well as planting the necessary jobs to put people back to work.

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Maybe it is overgrowing all the green places and making it more wasted than it is know but i still think, that my county should participate more in wind energy.
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Offshore wind developments

Offshore wind developments really have got wind in their sails. Some time ago I read that so many big companies like Siemens and General Electric are getting in the sector, not to talk about the energy utilities that there are fears that we will get quite an oligopoly. And the interesting thing is that despite the lower prices of oil than the peak of a few years ago the influx of investment money to the offshore wind sector is still enormous. servizi traduzioni

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Yes and no

While this is certainly good in some aspects, these offshore monsters have their negative sides as well, e.g. whales get huge problems with their communication since they are load as hell. Not everything that's a great deal at first sight is it still at second...

You have valid points but I

You have valid points but I think there's still something missing about this article. I'll have to read this again. Still... thanks. St Pierre Koscheck Fight Video

Whether it is to save taxes,

Whether it is to save taxes, achieve greater business freedom, protect assets, minimize reporting, or maintain privacy, having an offshore company (a company that conducts business outside the country of incorporation) can be an optimum business solution. Offshore company formation is popular amongst international entrepreneurs, independent contractors, consultants and traders. Jane of incorporation quebec

Re:

Whether it is to save taxes, achieve greater business freedom, protect assets, minimize reporting, or maintain privacy, having an offshore company (a company that conducts business outside the country of incorporation) can be an optimum business solution. Offshore company formation is popular amongst international entrepreneurs, independent contractors, consultants and traders. Jane of incorporation quebec

At this juncture of time when

At this juncture of time when we have bound to reanalyse our means & methods of developements that results in severe environmental crisis, such development like the above article not only satisfacting one but equally praised by all should be followed by all the regions where such facilities are available. Übersetzungsbüro Frankfurt

Its bit expensive but to save

Its bit expensive but to save world all countries should adopt this technology anime

Yes

Like Nirmal said "Great relief to find that such unconventional and sustainable methods are adopted for meeting our energy need. It has been practiced in Europe for a quite long time and gradually getting speed in other ares also." I can only second this!

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Wie sich ein Hausmann versichert.

I was reading a few days ago

I was reading a few days ago in German newspaper Spiegel about the possibility that the new energy oligopoly will be formed in wind power. More and more of energy companies are going in the sector of wind power along the coasts. And in the area of producers, large firms are winning market shares. Will be interesting how this will play out. Englisch Deutsch

the cable to go from its

the cable to go from its underground trench to the turbine, thus its name).Jon

Great, thanks for sharing

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1000 GW Wind Turbine

Oneof the costs of going offshore is the foundation work. Setting a foundation in water (even shallow) water involves a lot of expense.
Can the foundation be reused, so that you could have a new turbine on the same site without reworking the foundation.

How about the towers?
It seems like the stuff that would have a limited life span would be in the nacelle. Can you switch out nacelles to cut costs on keeping old fields working

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According to BWEA, Scotland

According to BWEA, Scotland has 2 GW of installed on shore wind with 0.5 GW in construction and 2.5 GW consented. If all this is built, the total is 5 GW.
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other nations should also start concentrating on these energy resources where in you can get more and clean energy by investing little.  Seo Glasgow

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business outside the country of incorporation) can be an optimum business solution. Offshore company formation is popular amongst family vacation spots

According to BWEA

According to BWEA, Scotland has 2 GW of installed on shore wind with 0.5 GW in construction and 2.5 GW consented. If all this is built, the total is 5 GW.
Thanks

Sam
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Clean Energy saves the Environment.

Europe has really initiated a new way of dealing with the renewable energy. This will really reduce the effects of the Global temperature rising around the globe. A lot many other nations should also start concentrating on these energy resources where in you can get more and clean energy by investing little.Texas Defensive Driving

The 1000 GW of wind turbines

The 1000 GW of wind turbines capacity projected to be installed by 2020 ... Asia and Africa are reaching critical mass and we may be surprised.

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Clean Energy

Wind energy is one of our future energy sources if we want to be sustainable. I'm glad to hear European countries are on top of this. dmaa

hi

It seems like the stuff that would have a limited life span would be in the nacelle. Can you switch out nacelles to cut costs on keeping old fields working bankruptcy attorney

Offshore

I like "green energy" offshore are the best alternative. " -Potential offshore wind resources in the United State is nearly 1000 GW. " thats a good information

Thanks

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Thanks a lot for the

Thanks a lot for the informative and interesting publication. Actually I was looking for this information for a long time, because it’s really useful for my term papers writing and finally have noticed this your entry.

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What do you do if someone has already registered the name of your business or product as a domain? Worse yet, what if the domain owner is using the site to harm your business? And what can you do to prevent cybersquatting in the first place?
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The Empire Formula

Potential offshore wind resources in the United State is nearly 1000 GW. Offshore wind development is another means in which can promote energy security for our country as well as planting the necessary jobs to put people back to work. Wind, solar, biofuels, nuclear, renewable and conventionals: all are part of a complete energy portfolio that America desperately needs!

One of the costs of going

One of the costs of going offshore is the foundation work. Setting a foundation in water (even shallow) water involves a lot of expense.
Can the foundation be reused, so that you could have a new turbine on the same site without reworking the foundation.
How about the towers?
It seems like the stuff that would have a limited life span would be in the nacelle. Can you switch out nacelles to cut costs on keeping old fields working?
Sachin@elektronine parduotuve

Great relief to find that

Great relief to find that such unconventional and sustainable methods are adopted for meeting our energy need. It has been practiced in Europe for a quite long time and gradually getting speed in other ares also. But sometimes, the wind turbines are called as giant bird killer. So design must be improved to avoid such accident . kredyty konsolidacyjne

Guiding lamp for all

At this juncture of time when we have bound to reanalyse our means & methods of developements that results in severe environmental crisis, such development like the above article not only satisfacting one but equally praised by all should be followed by all the regions where such facilities are available. ogrzewanie podłogowe

-Potential offshore wind

-Potential offshore wind resources in the United State is nearly 1000 GW. Offshore wind development is another means in which can promote energy security for our country as well as planting the necessary jobs to put people back to work. Wind, solar, biofuels, nuclear, renewable and conventionals: all are part of a complete energy portfolio that America desperately needs!

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