A novel and versatile 3-tower maritime structure for the cost-efficient installation of all-sizes offshore wind turbines.

Project Information

TRIWIND

Grant agreement ID: 773657

DOI

10.3030/773657

Project closed

EC signature date 1 May 2017

Start date 1 June 2017

End date 31 October 2017

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Secure, clean and efficient energy

Total cost

€ 71 429,00

EU contribution

€ 50 000,00

Coordinated by

BERENGUER INGENIEROS SL
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - TRIWIND (A novel and versatile 3-tower maritime structure for the cost-efficient installation of all-sizes offshore wind turbines.)

Reporting period: 2017-06-01 to 2017-10-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Offshore wind energy presents an attractive option that has been implemented with some success, especially in Europe. The sector has witnesses a formidable change to get ahead of renewables energies. It is planned that installed offshore wind energy capacity increases by 330% from now up to 2027, and the latest European offshore wind farm auctions have shown that costs of these projects are nearly 50% lower than in 2015 going down from 132 €/MWh to 63 €/MWh. This represent a serious challenge for wind farm developers that must find cost effective technologies to reduce wind farm costs along the whole life cycle.
The TRIWIND project presented herein is the result of an activity initiated by the company two years ago, which has resulted in a patented technology (ES2617991) for the cost-efficient installation of offshore wind farms, suitable even for the largest turbines (10+ MW). To understand the magnitude of the installations challenges, offshore wind farms are nearly twice as expensive to install as onshore wind (new offshore wind farms cost 2.20-4.40 Mill €/MW).
Hence, the objective of TRIWIND phase 2 is to validate a large-scale prototype of our innovative foundation, so that we can engage several clients and other stakeholders to become the leaders in design of foundations for the offshore wind sector.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

A summary of the main achievements is detailed below:
TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY RESULTS:
The technical feasibility assessment performed in Phase 1 has allowed us to perform an in-depth regulation standards and certifications analysis. It has also enable us to define the work methodology plan to be followed during the next 2 years, while allowing to identify the most important key issues to consider in our technical development.
OPERATIONAL/FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY RESULTS
Once we have carefully analysed during the financial feasibility analysis, we conclude that TRIWIND will be profitability, even under any described scenario, containing a ROI of 603% in 5 years
COMMERCIAL FEASIBILITY RESULTS
One of the most important progress achieved in the commercial feasibility analysis carried out during Phase 1 was the entrance of our innovative solution within the offshore wind market, taking in consideration its full potential and exploring its market opportunity penetration. In addition, we have defined the most optimal plan for commercialization and we have of the main key suppliers and stakeholders.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Berenguer has developed a light concrete, self-buoyant and self-installed, gravity based foundation for the installation of all-sized offshore wind turbines. Implementing TRIWIND as foundation, will reduce the time required for transportation, installation and maintenance by 15-25% compared to typical offshore wind turbines foundations, while providing a higher overall structure stability during operation for an increased life cycle of the whole structure. TRIWIND is easily adaptable to further power increments and compatible will all water depths, which will reduce the time needed to transport, install and maintenance of offshore wind turbines with estimated cost savings of circa 20%.

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