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Offshore turbines get reusable covers

By: Chloe Emanuel 26/03/2024 Vattenfall

General Turbines Windfarms

Before offshore wind turbines can be installed, their foundations need to be laid first. On top of each set of foundations stands a monopile with a cover, a temporary solution used to cap the huge tube. In the past, covers tended to be written off and destroyed after use. However, those used in the construction of the Hollandse Kust Zuid Offshore Wind Farm are durable, can be reused and will last as long as 10 to 15 years.

A monopile cover is a necessary stopgap in the stage between the foundations and the tower of a wind turbine being installed. It offers protection against seawater, rain and bird droppings. In the past, covers used to be made of tent tarpaulin or aluminium. However, the tarpaulin was susceptible to wind and mildew and did not allow daylight through, while the aluminium tended to be scrapped after a single use.

Vattenfall challenged its suppliers to come up with a sustainable alternative for the Hollandse Kust Zuid (HKZ) Offshore Wind Farm. CCM B.V., a start-up, designed a monopile cover made of fibre-reinforced polyester panels strengthened with steel beams and bolts. Weighing in at about one ton, the structure is relatively lightweight. It allows daylight and air to pass through the monopile and has, in principle, been designed for foundations with a diameter of seven metres. The design features not only material that can be reused over time, but also a cover that can be used several times over in the construction of other offshore wind farms.

The individual panels are expected to last as long as 10 to 15 years, depending on how often the diameter needs to be scaled up. Naturally, the panels become increasingly heavier as more metal spacers have to be placed between them for wind turbines with larger diameters.

For more information curated from over 275 offshore wind turbine models, including dimensions and wind speeds, click here.

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Offshore turbines get reusable covers

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