ENGINEERINGNET.EU -- In response to the fast-expanding offshore wind market, DNV KEMA - the energy arm of DNV - has developed a new standard that will help accelerate the development of a new generation of floating offshore wind turbines by establishing design requirements for the floating structure and related systems.
The new standard was developed as a Joint Industry Project with 11 participating companies and aims to spur progress through a framework for best practices and technical requirements, plus producing guidance for design, construction and in-service inspection. The eleven are: DNV KEMA, Statoil, Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal, Sasebo Heavy Industries, STX Offshore & Shipbuilding, Navantia, Gamesa, Iberdrola, Alstom Wind, Glosten Associates and Principle Power.
According to Johan Sandberg, head of renewable energy at DNV KEMA, Norway and project sponsor, the standard covers a broad range of issues, including safety philosophy and design principles; site conditions, loads and response; materials and corrosion protection; structural design; design of anchor foundations; floating stability; station keeping; control and mechanical systems; transport and installation; in-service inspection and cable design.
“As demand for wind energy increases, we predict offshore deployments will continue to move into deeper waters and, consequently, there’s a need to establish design standards that will help ensure safety, reliability, and confidence in future wind turbines,” he says.
“Recent successful deployments of full-scale prototype configurations have demonstrated that floating wind turbines can be a viable alternative and the market is taking notice. Several companies and research institutes worldwide are already engaged in developing research programs, pilot projects and even planning for commercial development of floating wind farms,” he says.
BACKGROUND
In September 2011, DNV initiated a Joint Industry Project for the development of the standard for design of floating wind turbine structures. Eleven of the world’s leading players in the wind industry (from Europe, US and Asia) participated in this JIP. The new standard is a supplement to the existing DNV-OS-J101.
