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CONNECTING THE WIND & WAVE ENERGY INDUSTRIES
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Wind&WaveCONNECT F O R
Issue 4 December 2011
Working with renewable energy companies to help solve the demanding technical, regulatory and commercial challenges they face, improving the safety and reliability of assets and the people, systems and processes involved. For support at every step of the way, from initial concept and detailed design through to construction, commissioning, operation, life extension and decommissioning contact Lloyd’s Register.
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Trusted engineering excellence for a sustainable energy supply.
All at sea: Vessels for offshore wind farms
Team Humber Marine Alliance Has the skills to renew the Humber
Image: Ben Barden Photography/Vattenfall
&
P R O C U R E M E N T ISSUE 4 DECEMBER 2011 £9.50
Innovation: Improving access to distant, deep water wind farms
Building an offshore wind farm
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12th ye ar
ABERDEEN UK, 23/24 MAY 2012
All-Energy 2012 is the UK’s largest renewable energy event. Close to 8,000 visitors from 50+ countries attended All-Energy 2011 with its 580 exhibiting companies from 20 countries and more than 280 conference speakers. The major exhibition features the latest technology across the full range of the renewable energy sector. A free-to-attend multi-stream conference explores issues and challenges facing the industry and looks at renewable energy sources from multi-million pound offshore projects to micro-generation. All-Energy 2012 introduces ‘Offshore Maintenance – where offshore wind meets oil and gas’ and many other new features. www.all-energy.co.uk
organised by:
Introduction
Issue 04 December - February 2012 EDITORIAL ACCOUNT MANAGER Julia Dingwall Tel: 01937 580418 Email: julia.dingwall@theconnectseries.co.uk
Welcome to the December edition of Wind&WaveCONNECT, a publication available on-line at www.windandwaveconnect.co.uk and in print format.
MANAGING DIRECTOR Dan Connew Tel: 01937 580400
This quarter we have an edition packed full of features. We highlight the work of Team Humber Marine Alliance and their goal to turn the Humber Region into a centre of excellence for renewables (page 5). We explore the range of vessels used for building and maintaining offshore wind farms (page 20) and Penny Hitchin talks to project manager Matthew Green who provides insight into building an offshore wind farm (page 28). We also take a glance at some of the innovative designs shortlisted as part of the Carbon Trust Offshore Wind Accelerator Project (page 24).
SALES DIRECTOR David Wightman Tel: 01937 580401 Email: david.wightman@theconnectseries.co.uk RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Finn Langley Tel: 01937 580423 Email: finn.langley@theconnectseries.co.uk
As with every edition we include regular features covering Law, Health & Safety, Training and Recruitment. Please email us if you have any suitable articles for these sections.
PRODUCTION MANAGER Tracey Bramall Tel: 01937 580406 Email: tracey.bramall@theconnectseries.co.uk
Do make use of our handy, up to date directory covering the range of companies and breadth of products and services available to the wind and wave energy industries starting from page 41. If your company isn't currently listed, please refer to our Inclusion Form on page 107/108.
STUDIO MANAGER Andy Bickerdike Tel: 01937 580407 Email: andy.bickerdike@theconnectseries.co.uk
Please do continue to send in your editorial contributions, or if you have any suggestions or comments please get in touch: www.windandwaveconnect.co.uk/contact-us
Published by
We hope you enjoy the festive season and from all at Wind&WaveCONNECT we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Julia Dingwall Editorial Account Manager
Group Information Services Ltd, 2 Highcliffe Court, Greenfold Lane, Wetherby, West Yorkshire LS22 6RG. Tel: (01937) 580400 Fax: (01937) 580499 Email: office@gisltd.co.uk Web: www.gisltd.co.uk The design and layout of this directory remains the property of Group Information Services Ltd, it must not be reproduced or transmitted to a third party without prior written consent. Š April 2010. The publisher can not accept responsibility for the accuracy of the content, or for any errors, omissions or mis-statements, nor can the publisher accept responsibility for the copy supplied by the advertisers. The publisher shall not be liable for any direct or indirect or consequential loss or damage suffered by any person as a result of relying on any statement in or omission from these articles. Opinions expressed in these articles are not the opinions of the publishers.
STAND OUT FROM THE REST Contact Sales on 01937 580477 Showcase your company in front of over 3000 key
buyers and decision makers with an Enhanced Directory Listing Wind&WaveCONNECT
1
Introduction
12 Narec - a world leading centre for accelerating the deployment of offshore renewable energy
18
13 Consense announces charity partnership with Renewable World 13 UK’s tidal energy resources to be modelled by the ETI
5 Industry News 11 Ampair launches ‘off the shelf’ range of offshore power supplies 12 ExxonMobil to provide Lubricants & Services ExxonMobil to provide Lubricants and Services to help optimise E.ON Climate & Renewable’s UK Wind Farm Operations
11
13 North East England companies invest £400m to become offshore renewables hub 13 First power from Walney 2 offshore wind farm 13 Completed bearings take a load off foundations at Sheringham Shoal 13 New awards dedicated to Humber’s renewables industry
14
Diary of Events 16 Diary of Events Essential events to attend in the forthcoming months
Features 5
From one golden age to another? Team Humber Marine Alliance has the skills to renew the Humber
14 Harnessing marine power No longer a pipedream As discussed by Philip Lewis, regional director at environmental consultancy Atmos Consulting
20
THE CONNECT TEAM
Andy Bickerdike Studio Manager
2
Wind&WaveCONNECT
Nichole Birtwhistle Sales Database Manager
Liz Boyle Financial Controller
Jo Brotheridge Data Executive
Tracey Bramall Production Manager
Dan Connew Managing Director
Introduction 28 Building an offshore wind farm
Directory
Matthew Green speaks to Wind&WaveCONNECT about the challenges and achievements of building Ormonde wind farm
30 The race to deliver commercial marine energy A look at who’s who in the industry
36 Getting to know Lisa Dodds
24
Law
18 Biodiversity and offshore renewables: What every consents manager should know
20 All at sea: vessels for offshore wind farms Wind&WaveCONNECT looks at the variety of vessels involved in the construction and maintenance of offshore wind farms
designs from the Carbon Trust’s
How will it affect projects coming online in the next few years
Health & Safety 34 A Wind(ow) of Opportunity for Safety Training
26
Julia Dingwall Account Manager
49 Manufacturing, Operation & Maintenance
63 Other Services 67 Professional Services 79 Sea-Based Support 85 Survey 91 Wind & Marine Technology Testing Services
by their name.
38 HETA - Humberside Engineering Training Association
Recruitment 40 UK Onshore Wind Development up by 111%
Finn Langley R & D Manager
Website Visit the Wind&WaveCONNECT Website now at
www.windandwaveconnect.co.uk
38
30
Angela Johnson Media Sales
45 Foundation
Search for companies you need
Training
26 Onshore wind turbines crank up UK generation profile onshore wind farms around the UK
41 Cabling
93 Alphabetical Supplier Listing
offshore wind accelerator project
A visual display of data relating to
Search for companies you need by their category of services.
59 Onshore & Substation
32 Electricity Market Reform
24 Innovation: improving access to distant deep water wind farms Details on some of the shortlisted
41 Category Listings
Oliver Lee Media Sales
James Parnham Media Sales
David Wightman Sales Director
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For more information regarding your Training and Development Solutions contact: Email: training@grimsby.ac.uk Tel: 0800 315 002
Team Humber Feature
From one golden age to another? Team Humber Marine Alliance has the skills to renew the Humber . . . Words: Mike Ackroyd, Mapa
Image: Mark O’Reilly, of THMA, welcoming Emma Toulson, project manager for Parsons Brinckerhoff, one of the new THMA members
Image courtesy: Ship Support Limited
T
urning the region into a centre of excellence for renewables is a key goal for Team Humber Marine Alliance.
“We are perfectly placed to serve wind farm developments and other renewable technologies,” says Mark O'Reilly, director of Team Humber, which represents more than 130 companies that operate in a number of different sectors, including commercial shipping, the defence sector, offshore, inland waterways and nuclear. But there is, naturally, a strong current focus on renewable energy. The Humber is in pole position geographically for North Sea wind farms, such as Humber Gateway, Hornsea and Westermost Rough, and most importantly possesses the skills. Team Humber harnesses this wealth of knowledge and
For more information on Team Humber Marine Alliance call Mary Green on (01482) 485271 or email marygreen@thma.co.uk
experience to put member companies in the frame for major contracts. With offices at World Trade Centre Hull & Humber, Team Humber keeps an eye on
overseas opportunities too, and also has close links with the UK Trade & Investment staff based there. It is also out and about, attending the important industry trade shows. Firms operate individually and in partnership under the Alliance's 'Strength in numbers' slogan that allows them to bid for contracts that might otherwise be out of reach, which is an attraction to potential customers, for whom a range of different services can be made available through a single contact point. This collaborative approach is at the heart of Team Humber, which acts as an extra marketing arm for members and is also a strong advocate for the region's business credentials. Set up as a self-funded group in the mid-1990s, Team Humber has enjoyed a period of rapid growth in membership over the last 12 months, and its profile has never been higher as the quest for the Humber to be THE place for renewables gathers pace.
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Team Humber Feature
Challenge
Delivering quality supplies in optimum conditions
The UK’s leading supplier to the marine industry www.huttons-chandlers.com PROVISIONS TECHNICAL INDUSTRIAL MEDICAL
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Team Humber Feature Image: Kurt Christensen, managing director of Grimsby-based Wind Power Support Ltd, a THMA member that is supplying support services to the wind sector.
Enthusiasm for the region being at the centre of the green revolution ratched up several notches at the start of this year with the news that Siemens was waiting in the wings. The German engineering giant signed a memorandum of understanding with Associated British Ports over the latter's Green Port Hull proposed development at Alexandra Dock, including a new deepwater berth that would be essential to Siemens' plans to build Britain's first major offshore wind turbine manufacturing plant on the north bank. Even though the memorandum has expired, there is confidence that the Humber will still be the location. Along with Siemens, other foreign-owned manufacturers, such as Gamesa, of Spain, Alstom, of France, and the US's General Electric, have signalled their interest in east coast locations, and everyone is waiting for the 'big bang' to happen. Where will the pieces settle? “We have the proven skills and experience to serve the renewables industry,” says Mr O'Reilly, who adds that nothing can be taken for granted with any of the potential inward
investors to the Humber, and everyone needs to be united in the common purpose of ensuring the region provides excellent services so as to derive maximum benefit from the opportunities.
“We must be thoroughly prepared and should not underestimate the unique challenges inherent in projects like Hornsea and Westermost Rough. This means working together and getting projects right first time.” Mark O'Reilly, director of Team Humber.
If the past can inform the future, the region has history on its side. Exporting wool from Yorkshire and Lincolnshire to the low countries and returning with barrels of French wine, the Humber was flourishing hundreds of years ago through trading with Europe. It brought the medieval greatness that was Hull.
Has it changed all that much? It is still all about the sea; marine engineering skills have passed down the generations to unimagined degrees of sophistication; and now the Humber ports of Goole, Grimsby, Hull and Immingham stand potentially on the brink of another golden era, based on renewable energy. In urging cooperation and focus on the challenges and opportunities that could transform the region's economy, Mr O'Reilly cautions that Humber marine businesses should be paying heed to events at the £1.3bn 500MW Greater Gabbard wind farm development, one of the world's biggest, to realise that the best laid plans can go awry. “As so often can happen with new and exciting engineering projects, this 140-turbine wind farm has been subject to delays and has already been put back two years. “Further hold-ups could yet arise from the conflict between the construction company and the wind farm's developers because of extra costs associated with steelwork testing and faulty materials.
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Team Humber Feature
“Make no mistake about it, this situation cannot be allowed to happen on the Humber if we are to establish the region as a centre of excellence for the renewables sector. So it is just as well we learn our lessons from Greater Gabbard and ensure that the highest quality of materials and testing are used and projects are completed on time to the very highest standard possible. “We must be thoroughly prepared and should not underestimate the unique challenges inherent in projects like Hornsea and Westermost Rough. This means working together and getting projects right first time.� Mr O'Reilly's words are supported by a recent University of Hull report, Prospect for Green Jobs to 2020, which points to significant competition from the rest of the
UK and Europe and says that the huge potential for new jobs will only be realised if the public sector collaborates to ensure that policy and initiatives are designed to capitalise on the opportunities.
A full-scale demonstrator estuarine tidal
The Alliance presents a strong case for the wind sector. Members span the entire length of the supply chain, from research and development, to turbine manufacturing and construction, operation and maintenance and decommissioning.
Deep submarium in Hull, with other Team
Being the UK's top-ranked trading estuary, and Europe's fourth largest, the Humber's infrastructure of dockside and port facilities for loading and unloading, storage, warehousing and ship repair provide an attractive proposition.
one day this source of power could
The region is already an energy hub, with 27 per cent of UK oil refining capacity, 32 per cent of coal imports, most of which is supplied to the nearby power stations that generate around 17 per cent of the UK's electricity, and 20 per cent of natural gas landings.
Companies large and small are in line to
The trend is towards sustainable forms of energy and the region is driving development of the whole renewables package, with significant progress being made in tidal power, biofuel production and biowaste electricity.
and Distribution and Witham Associates
stream energy device, designed by Team Humber member Neptune Renewable Energy Limited, is being installed close to the north bank to provide electricity for The Humber members supplying engineering expertise for the project. Neptune is planning further commercial arrays for the Humber and the potential from harnessing the reliable flow of estuary tides is such that satisfy a remarkable 20 per cent of the country's requirements. The late summer go-ahead for the Humber Enterprise Zone is a further boost for the region with Mr O'Reilly calling it 'a huge leap forward'. benefit and many have swelled Team Humber's membership roll over the past few weeks, among them ABB Services Engineering Services, TaTa Steel, DFDS Seaways, Parsons Brinckerhoff, Green Palm Marine Consultancy, Survitec Service among others.
So welcome to the big team effort that can make the Humber a renewables centre of excellence.
PA R A G O N state of the art precision...
Solutions in sheet metal fabrication and pressing Design for manufacture Sample production Combined Amada CNC Laser / Punching cell Amada Press Brake cell Robot MIG/TIG welding
aragon Precision Ltd., a leading UK producer of sheet metal work and pressed part solutions, design and manufacture a wide range of highly accurate pressed parts, enclosures, equipment cases, computer chassis and fabricated products in aluminium, steel and stainless steel.
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Automated powder coating plant Toolmaking Production presses to 250 tonne Quality to ISO9001
Utilising the latest software tools, skilled staff assist in the creation of a new component or assembly, or modify an existing design for optimum performance with minimum manufacturing cost.
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Wind&WaveCONNECT
Amada sheet metal processing equipment is utilised, including, an EML 4kw combined laser/high speed punching cell with 3 metre automatic sheet handling, 7 axis HFP press brakes and panel presses upto 250 tonne and 2.5m X 1.5m working bed size. Robotic welding, automated Nordson powder coating plant, in-house assembly, Paragon offer a one stop solution.
Team Humber Feature
Grimsby Institute Group Renewable Energy Industry Training and Development With the Humber region being seen as a potential super-hub for the offshore wind turbine industries, The Grimsby Institute Group (GIG) is perfectly placed to deliver the training requirements of the renewable sector. GIG is working in partnership with leading renewable energy companies involved directly with the wind turbine operations and maintenance industry. We have an extensive network of regional and international stakeholders, all involved in renewable energy:
Our high tech industrial standard workshops and engineering laboratories are excellent for the delivery of all practical applications. The facilities are continuously developing and investment in specialist equipment required for delivery to renewable energy sector is ongoing. Further to the apprenticeship schemes, other training and development packages offered are: ■
Full time provision: Students on full time engineering courses from level 1 to foundation degrees in Mechanical, Electrical, Instrumentation and Fabrication and Welding. Developing skills that are required for the full supply chain to the offshore wind industry.
■
Employer driven training: Designed for existing engineering personnel requiring development for renewable energy positions.
■
A comprehensive Health, Safety, Environmental and First Aid training package essential to the sector.
■
Professional leadership and management courses.
The Grimsby Institute has a team fully dedicated to employer's needs and includes delivering relevant skills training and apprenticeships in the following disciplines: ■
Electrical Engineering
■
Mechanical Engineering
■
Engineering Construction include Structural Steel Erecting
■
Instrumentation and Control
■
Electro-technical (maintenance/installation hybrid)
■
Project Management
■
Design and Draught
Fabrication and Welding: Pipefitting, Plating, Welding, Sheet Metal The Grimsby Institute is working with the National Skills Academy for Power, awarding bodies, clients and other stakeholders to develop the wind/offshore wind apprenticeships.
Email: training@grimsby.ac.uk Tel: 0800 315 002
The Grimsby Institute Group incorporates Yorkshire Coast College (YCC) in Scarborough and the Lincolnshire Regional College in Skegness. This partnership enables the Grimsby Institute to operate from as far south as the Wash, up to Whitby on the north east coast; this area has huge potential for the growth of renewable energy with Grimsby being at the core.
Parsons Brinckerhoff targets Humber offshore wind through THMA One of the world's leading engineering consultancies and energy specialists is targeting the Humber region because of its increasing importance as a renewable energy hub. Parsons Brinckerhoff, part of the Balfour Beatty group, has joined Team Humber Marine Alliance (THMA) as its latest member ahead of a concerted move by the industry to develop new renewable energy projects in the Humber. Parsons Brinckerhoff provides engineering, environmental, architectural, planning and construction management services across three main sectors: power, infrastructure and transportation.
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Wind&WaveCONNECT
importance in the renewable sector including projects such as the Hornsea and Dogger Bank offshore wind farms and tidal stream power projects. The Humber is a key, long-term location for us,” said Ms Toulson. The company views THMA membership as an important part of its strategy for growth in UK renewables. “After carrying out projects in the Humber region, mainly focused on offshore wind, Parsons Brinckerhoff has been very encouraged by the help and support of Team Humber Marine Alliance, so much so that we have become full members of the organisation,” she added.
Offshore wind, marine and tidal power systems are a major focus for the company to complement its already strong portfolio of onshore wind, solar and biofuel activity, says Emma Toulson, project manager, renewables for Parsons Brinckerhoff.
“We hope this will allow us to get to know and assist other members of the Alliance as well as help raise our profile more generally in the region. This will support the new opportunities arising, especially in offshore wind.”
“We are particularly attracted by the region's growing expertise and
For more information, see www.pbworld.com and www.thma.co.uk
Industry News
Ampair launches ‘off the shelf’ range of offshore power supplies K small wind turbine manufacturer Ampair has continued its push into the renewable hybrid power system market by launching the containerPod™ range of power solutions predominantly designed for providing platform power for the offshore wind measurement sector.
typically 400 Watts at a minimum, reaching up to well over 1kW for periods. The main reason for these higher loads is the requirement for essential navigation lighting and communications equipment to be powered coupled with the simultaneous use of traditional met-mast and LIDAR measurement systems on the same platform.”
Jeremy Davies Ampair's sales and
Ampair's OF4000 'containerPod™' unit is
marketing manager says that, “Onshore
a turn-key packaged power solution that
heated met-masts and LIDAR installations
includes wind generators, PV arrays and an
use between 50 and 200 watts of power
integrated back-up diesel generator which
and to date we have been able to power
is designed to 'rescue' the system should
these with our existing solutions. However in
there be a prolonged bout of poor
any offshore installation, the loads are
renewable generation weather.
U
The OF4000 system is designed to power continuous loads of up to 850W for 12 months without the need for a support vessel needing to be chartered to refuel the unit. “After extensive modelling with our in-house stochastic modelling software proAmpair™ we could see that that using a purely renewable solution just didn't add up as they required much larger battery banks, larger wind turbine arrays and larger solar arrays. These carried a price, weight and deck space premium that was not attractive. From the model, we could see that the best efficiency was obtained by using a small DC diesel generator that should only need to be run for 50-100 hours a year. By keeping the generator run time so low, we still deliver the low/no maintenance benefit of a purely renewables-based system, but we can supply power year round in a much more cost and size effective package.” Ampair's containerPod solution includes a variety of proprietary innovations designed to minimise the platform size needed by its customers. These include a unique 'through-deck' turbine pole which allows the Ampair 600 wind turbine to be lowered vertically to chest height, and also a tightly integrated generator and fuel tank compartment which share a common bund. David Sharman, Managing Director at Ampair commented: “Ultimately Ampair's system can be configured to power all of the required loads on a met platform in one single containerised package with the added benefit of providing additional internal real estate for all of the customers electrical panels. The containerPod is the natural progression from our successful land based heliPod and trailerPod hybrid systems, and leverages our deep understanding of the offshore industry. As a result interest to date has been significant and we have increased the size of our manufacturing plant and workforce to cope with demand which is a great step forward for us.” For more information visit www.ampair.com Contact details: Jeremy Davies Sales & marketing director Ampair jeremy.davies@ampair.com 07919 593 950
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Industry News
ExxonMobil to Provide Lubricants and Services to help Optimise E.ON Climate & Renewable's UK Wind Farm Operations Contract confirms ExxonMobil's position as a leading provider of lubrication solutions to the power industry
range of Mobil Wind Turbine Lubricants. Part of this included ExxonMobil demonstrating the benefits of its flagship gear oil, Mobilgear SHC XMP 320.
ExxonMobil Lubricants and Petroleum Specialties, a division of Exxon Mobil Corporation, has expanded its lubricant supply and service contract with E.ON.
Mobilgear SHC XMP 320 is the initial-fill gear oil of choice for the majority of the world's top 12 wind turbine builders and is now being used to protect more than 30,000 wind turbine gearboxes worldwide. It is an ideal lubricant for gearboxes used in wind turbines because it exceeds the performance of conventional, mineral-based oils while extending the interval between oil changes from 18 months to three years or more.
In addition to Mobilgear SHC XMP 320, ExxonMobil will be working with E.ON C&R to introduce a full range of Mobilbranded industrial lubricants which are formulated to deliver exceptional protection for all parts of a wind turbine. This will be supported by ExxonMobil's oil and equipment condition monitoring service, SIGNUM, designed to help wind turbine operators take a proactive approach to maintenance and address any potential lubricant and equipment issues before any unscheduled downtime occurs.
The high-performance synthetic gearbox oil offers exceptional oxidation resistance and excellent low temperature fluidity, which can help reduce
For more information about Mobil SHC branded synthetic lubricants, or any other Mobil-branded products and services, visit mobilindustrial.com.
ExxonMobil is now focussing on optimising the lubrication performance of E.ON Climate and Renewable's (C&R) extensive wind farm operations across the UK. In being awarded this additional scope of work over and above the existing supply relationship, ExxonMobil still had to prove the performance advantages E.ON C&R would realise in its wind turbines by switching to ExxonMobil's
unscheduled downtime and lower maintenance costs.
Narec - a world leading centre for accelerating the deployment of offshore renewable energy Over £150 million has been invested at The National Renewable Energy Centre (Narec) in Northumberland, North East England and in the next 6 months a new 100m wind turbine blade testing facility and a 3MW capacity drive train test rig for tidal and wind turbines will be commissioned.
and development at all scales (small models through to prototype scales from laboratory through to open sea tests). As a project partner, Narec will provide 49 weeks of access to its testing facilities for marine prototype testing, tidal turbine drive train (3MW capacity) and electrical grid integration.
The projects each address a key
A 15MW offshore wind turbine drive train test facility is also under construction, to open in June 2013, and proposals for the Blyth Offshore Wind Demonstrator could see the first deployments of prototype turbines at the 100MW capacity site in 2014.
In addition, the support received from the second round of the Government's Regional Growth Fund for the Wind Innovation Programme (WIP) will enable Narec to drive the commercial development of seven new innovative products or services. Narec will manage the £11 million R&D programme, which includes match funding from the private sector to the order of £5 million, to bring together offshore market leaders with world-class technology providers and academia here in the UK.
2012. The event will focus on the
Narec has been selected as a partner in the EU FP7 9 million MaRINET project. Focusing on wave energy and tidal stream converters, as well as offshore wind turbines for electrical generation, the project aims to coordinate research
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Wind&WaveCONNECT
challenge in the offshore wind technology supply chain and will directly create or safeguard over 1000 jobs in the UK over the next two and a half years. Narec will host a conference at The Royal York Hotel, York on 16th February industry requirements for demonstration and highly accelerated lifetime testing to reduce development timeframes and improve the reliability of technology going offshore.
For further information please contact: Helen Edge, Marketing Executive, email: helen.edge@narec.co.uk or tel: 01670 357602.
Industry News
CONSENSE ANNOUNCES CHARITY PARTNERSHIP WITH RENEWABLE WORLD Consense is pleased to announce its new charity partnership with Renewable World. The Suffolk based business which specialises in community engagement for the renewable energy sector is teaming up with the charity to help bring sustainable energy to poverty stricken areas across the globe. Renewable World, is a UK based charity set up by individuals from the renewable industry in 2007 to act as the link between the European renewable energy sector and poor communities who are most vulnerable to climate change.
NORTH EAST ENGLAND COMPANIES INVEST £400M TO BECOME OFFSHORE RENEWABLES HUB
COMPLETED BEARINGS TAKE A LOAD OFF THE FOUNDATIONS AT SHERINGHAM SHOAL
A group of 19 of North East England's leading energy sector companies have invested almost £400million to help realise the region's ambition to become a global hub for offshore renewable energy solutions.
The innovative elastometric spring bearings designed to improve the vertical load carrying capacity of the wind turbines of the Sheringham Shoal Offshore Wind Farm, have now been installed on each of the 90 foundations at the site, 20 kilometres off the coast of Norfolk in the UK.
The companies have now formed Energi Coast, North East England's Renewables Group, to promote the extensive expertise of the region's offshore renewables sector and secure a proportion of the £1billion global market. Energi Coast companies currently have a combined turnover of more than £200 million in the offshore wind sector. This figure is forecast to double as the offshore renewables market expands, which will have a significant impact on the region's economy and supporting supply chain.
It tackles poverty in developing countries
Trelleborg Offshore Norway AS, has recently completed its contract to install the 552 bearings before the start of winter. They worked with project team members from owner Scira Offshore Energy and operator Statoil to design, manufacture and deliver the bearings following reports of grouting failures on other wind farms. The bespoke steel and rubber bearings were designed to reduce the vertical load on the grouted connection between the inner monopile pipe and the outer transition piece, which together make up the foundation on which the wind turbine will sit.
by enabling the provision of affordable renewable energy systems for remote off-grid communities. These projects light up homes, schools and clinics.
UK'S TIDAL ENERGY RESOURCES TO BE MODELLED BY THE ETI The UK's tidal energy resources are to be modelled by the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) in a project that will improve understanding of the possible interactions
and 2050.
FIRST POWER FROM THE WALNEY 2 OFFSHORE WIND FARM
NEW AWARDS DEDICATED TO HUMBER'S RENEWABLES INDUSTRY
The £450,000 Tidal Modelling Project
Walney 2 offshore wind farm has, as
running until the end of 2012 will be
of 1 November 2011, started delivering
led by consulting, engineering and
CO2-free electricity to the UK's national
EFFORTS to make the region a major hub for the green energy industry are being recognised with a new awards event.
construction company Black & Veatch
grid, with electricity now being generated
supported by hydrodynamic modelling
from the first of its 51 turbines.
between tidal energy extraction systems as they are deployed between now
specialists HR Wallingford and the University of Edinburgh.
Walney 1 was fully operational May 2011 and Walney 2 is expected to be fully
It will develop models of the whole UK Continental Shelf that will be used to investigate how energy extraction at one site may affect the energy available elsewhere. A wide range of possible future tidal stream and tidal range sites, with differing technology possibilities will be
operational by the end of 2011, making Walney the world's largest offshore wind farm, with a total capacity of 367.2MW of renewable energy production. This is enough to power around 320,000 UK homes or one-and-a-half times the
represented in the models.
number of homes in Cumbria.
The project will identify how the
DONG Energy (50.1%), SSE (Scottish
interactions between different sites around
and Southern Energy) (25.1%) and OPW
the UK combine to form an overall effect,
(24.8%) are the companies behind Walney
and what constraints these interactions
Windfarms Limited, with DONG Energy
will place on the design, development and
as the leading partner in the construction
location of future systems.
and operational phases of the projects.
Nominations have now opened for the Humber Renewables Awards 2012, sponsored by Hull-based communications provider KC. The accolades aim to mark the success of people, businesses and other organisations which are committed to the development of renewable energy. The awards are being hosted by Footprint Renewables and will be judged by an independent panel of industry experts and local business leaders. Eight award categories are available to enter via the Footprint Renewables website.The winners will be announced at a gala dinner at The Deep in Hull on March 2. For more information please visit www.footprintrenewables.co.uk
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Feature
Harnessing marine power No longer a pipedream Words: Philip Lewis
hilip Lewis, regional director at environmental consultancy Atmos Consulting, welcomes the shift in emphasis to smaller scale projects. But with this more realistic approach comes a higher volume of potential projects. Investors and engineers alike need to understand the new regulatory and planning frameworks.
P
Scotland and the UK are generally seen as world leaders in tidal energy research, but the US and Canada are both investing heavily too. We all have a vested interest in the success of the pioneering Sound of Islay tidal array project now underway in Scottish waters. After the scrapping of the Severn Barrage plans last October, tidal power development is now increasingly focused on the development of submerged free standing turbines placed on the sea bed in areas of high tidal flows. One such scheme is the recently consented ScottishPower Renewables Sound of Islay. This is one of a number of demonstration projects including those by the European Marine Energy Centre at Orkney. The government is helping to fund the technology's development. The current trend then is towards realistic small/medium scale proposals rather than 'grand' schemes such as the Severn Barrage. The submerged turbine's 14
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environmental effects have already been judged to be acceptable by the Scottish Government in the Islay scheme, but these developments, by nature ought not give rise to the significant environmental changes that would be caused by a barrage scheme such as that originally proposed for the Severn.
The Sound of Islay project ScottishPower Renewables' Islay project is set to be the world's first tidal power array and, once built, will triple the current capacity of marine energy projects in the UK to 10 tidal turbines, which will generate enough electricity to power more than 5,000 homes. It will be a milestone in the global development of tidal energy; and a catalyst for the sector in the UK. Yet it could soon be dwarfed by the much larger scheme planned for Pentland Firth, where there are proposals for 1,600 megawatts of production in the coming years, compared to Islay's 10-megawatt array. Submerged turbines also have benefits over conventional offshore wind energy developments (e.g. they have little to no visual impact), but have their own issues in terms of installation and maintenance, along with other potential effects to the marine environmental and navigation. Significant investment is involved even at the drawing
board stage, and Atmos Consulting is increasingly called upon to help with due diligence and assessment work in the embryonic stages of projects. Back in 2009 Alex Salmond, Scotland's first minister, claimed that this marine energy source could help the country to become the “Saudi Arabia of offshore renewables.� The UK has the right people, skills and expertise so, with the right investment and continuing government support, there is no reason why Mr Salmond should not be proved right. And there is no reason why the same revolution should not happen south of the border as well.
The new regulatory regime The new frameworks that are evolving under both legislatures should make it easier and quicker for the government, engineers and investors to reach the right decisions quickly and efficiently. While we have to wait and see how it shapes up in practice, the portents so far are good that lessons and best practice learned in the terrestrial planning world will be applied. In 2011, we have moved a new era in marine consenting. This follows the Marine and Coastal Act 2009 and the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010. The new system is being dealt with by the MMO (Marine Management Organisation (England and Wales)) and Marine Scotland.
Feature
These organisations deal with planning, licensing, conservation areas and coastal access. The construction, alteration or improvement of any works either in or over the sea, or on or under the sea bed requires a marine license. The new bodies are responsible for licensing activities that include offshore generating stations such as wind farms, and wave and tidal devices with a capacity between 1 and 100 megawatts. They are also responsible for marine planning, which is a new approach to the management of our seas with the aim of ensuring a sustainable future for coastal and offshore waters by managing and balancing the many activities, resources and assets in our marine environment. The MMO has said that marine planning is following a similar approach to terrestrial planning; setting the direction for decision making at a local level to lead to efficient and sustainable use of our marine resources. Marine planning frameworks should guide marine users to the most suitable locations for different activities in the first place and then take a holistic approach to decision making, considering all the benefits and impacts of all the current and future activities that occur in our marine environment. The MMO is tasked with preparing marine plans for the English and Welsh inshore
and offshore waters. This involves designing a suitable planning process and working to integrate and balance all the current marine and future activities into a comprehensive strategy. They will deliver a plan for 11 marine plan areas over time, the East Inshore and East Offshore areas being the first. East Inshore includes a coastline that stretches from Flamborough Head to Felixstowe. One of the key reasons that the East of England is playing an important part in the marine planning process is its potential for future sustainable development and its contribution to the national economy. Major wind farms are already planned for the region, and so it provides an ideal - and timely - opportunity for us to set the scene for sustainable management of competing uses. In addition, this area is adjacent to a range of communities, including less well-off areas, which will benefit from development. This will be hindered without economic confidence in sustainability as a platform for development.
achievement of sustainable development, so the planning and licensing processes must be consistent with the principles of: ■
Living within environmental limits
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Ensuring a strong, healthy and just society
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Achieving a sustainable economy
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Promoting good governance
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Using sound science responsibly
The overarching objective behind sustainable development is, of course, to safeguard our natural resources and economy for future generations. Within this, there will be clear instances whereby the legislation places more emphasis on, for example, environmental principles rather than social or economic. These instances are most often when activities are proposed in an area that has been designated as being of national or international conservation importance, and government policy has set out that in such instances, environmental principles will normally be uppermost.
Marine Scotland is also developing marine planning provisions. These include Scotland's first National Marine Plan and the creation of Scottish Marine Regions.
And it is here that the Atmos team of ecologists, hydrologists and planning advisers stands ready to help and advise.
Sustainability
For more information, please visit
Both the MMO and Marine Scotland have a statutory objective to contribute to the
www.atmosconsulting.com or follow them on twitter @atmosconsulting Wind&WaveCONNECT
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Diary of Events
Diary of Events December
January
ISGT Innovative Smart Grid Technologies Europe 2011 - 5th - 7th December
Operations and Maintenance Operator Forum 2012 - 24th - 25th January
Manchester Central Convention Complex, Manchester Contact: Laura Mitchell Tel: +44 (0)161 306 4656 Email: laura.mitchell@manchester.ac.uk Web: www.ieee-isgt-2011.eu/
The Hotel Atlantic, Kempinski, Hamburg, An der Alster 72-79, 20099, Hamburg, Germany Contact: Will Broad, Event Director Tel: +44 (0)20 7375 7516 Email: will@windenergyupdate.com Web: www.windenergyupdate.com
Renewable Energy HR Conference and Exhibition 2011 - 6th - 7th December 1 America Square, London, United Kingdom, EC3N 2LB Contact: Samantha Coleman Tel: +44 (0)20 7099 0600 Email: samantha.coleman@greenpowerconferences.com Web: www.greenpowerconferences.com
Wind Turbine Technology & Design Forum 6th - 7th December Hamburg, Germany Contact: Camilla Brice Tel: +44 (0)20 8267 4011 Email: events@windpower-monthly.com Web: www.windpowermonthlyevents.com
February RenewableUK Health and Safety 2012 1st February Hilton Manchester Deansgate, 303 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 4LQ Contact: Ten Alps, Events Registration Team Tel: +44 (0)20 7878 2481 Email: RenewableUK@tenalps.com Web: www.renewable-uk.com/events
Accelerating Offshore Renewables 16th February The Royal York Hotel, York Web: www.narec.co.uk/media/events
Countdown to 2020. 2011: Following the Roadmap in the new EMR ERA Conference - 7th December One Great George Street, London Web: www.environmental-expert.com
Diary of Events 2011/12 16
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2nd Offshore Wind Supply Chain Conference 28th - 29th February Regents Park Marriott Hotel, 128 King Henry’s Road, London, NW3 3ST Contact: Teodora Todorova, Event Director Tel: +44 (0)20 7375 7573 Email: teodora@windenergyupdate.com Web: www.windenergyupdate.com/offshore-supply-chain
All dates were correct at time of going to print, however, these may be subject to change. Please check first with the organiser. If you have any dates you would like to display in our next issue March 2012 - May 2012, please email julia.dingwall@theconnectseries.co.uk
energy engineering
Prospect is an engineering solutions provider to the energy industries worldwide. Prospect’s service capabilities include: - Structural and mechanical design - Flow related and thermal engineering - Structural analysis - Marine dynamics To find out more about our engineering capabilities:
E: info@prospect-fs.com T: +44 (0)1224 651831
www.prospect-fs.com
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Feature
B
y addressing biodiversity issues correctly from the start of a project, consents managers can considerably
improve their chances of planning consents being granted and reduce the likelihood of project delays. Richard Arnold and Jessica Taylor of Thomson Ecology answer commonly asked questions in relation to biodiversity and marine projects.
Biodiversity and offshore renewables: what every consents manager should know. Words: Richard Arnold Images: Thomson Ecology
What conservation or biodiversity laws apply to a marine energy project? There is a wide variety of legislation that applies to an offshore energy project, which relates both directly and indirectly to the conservation of biodiversity. This is further complicated because many such projects have onshore, coastal and offshore components and different, but similar, legislation applies in each of these areas, and is controlled by different regulatory bodies and stakeholders. The legislation that applies also differs between the four countries that make up the UK, as well as in Ireland. Most offshore energy projects will require an assessment under the one or more sets of Regulations derived from the European Commission's Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive. This assessment will usually include the effect of the project on marine invertebrates, fish, mammals and birds and their habitats. If the development has the potential to affect habitats or species 18
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protected under the European Commission's Habitats or Birds Directives, then additional assessments will need to be carried out in accordance with the Regulations derived from these Directives. There is also domestic legislation, including the Wildlife and Countryside Act, Marine and Coastal Access Act and Nature Conservation Scotland Act, which will need to be taken into account at all stages of the project. So all in all, it can be quite complex.
What surveys do we have to do to get consent? The surveys required are dependent on the nature of the development and its location. Typically, it is necessary to: a) gather information on international, national and local sites designated for nature conservation in the vicinity, b) undertake surveys of habitats (a phase 1 habitat survey on land and intertidally, and a marine biotope classification subtidally),
c) undertake protected species surveys along the cable routes, d) undertake marine benthic invertebrate, fish, marine mammal and bird surveys. Offshore surveys can be labour intensive, involving the use of grabs to collect samples of invertebrates from the sea bed, a range of trawls and netting techniques to sample fish species, surveys from aircraft and boats to observe sea mammals and birds, and even radar to detect bird movements through and around the development area. The surveys are often required to cover a wide area around the actual development site.
What time of year can they be done? Ecological surveys on land can be highly seasonal, so time of year will be an important consideration when planning the surveys for the onshore components of the scheme. Surveys of marine invertebrates and fish are not constrained to the same extent and can normally be undertaken alongside other surveys at any time of the year.
Feature However, in some cases it may be necessary to sample particular groups at specific times of the year to understand seasonal variations in distribution, for example targeting fish spawning grounds or migratory routes. Offshore surveys for mammals and birds are often required at monthly intervals all year round. This is to provide information on seasonal variations in distribution and abundance. Many seabirds, for example, gather at breeding colonies in spring and summer, and will move to and from these sites frequently as they forage for food. At other times of year they may be more widely dispersed and make less predictable movements. There may also be annual variations and, for this reason, several years' data may be required before a sufficient understanding is reached.
amphipod crustacean Jassa falcata
How do we make sure we get the right data first time and avoid wasting money on repeat surveys? For a development requiring assessment under EIA Regulations, it is very important to seek a scoping opinion from the statutory consultees. For large projects in England and Wales, this may be via the Infrastructure Planning Commission, who will consult other bodies such as Natural England. Normally a scoping report is prepared by the developer's consultants, setting out, in broad terms, the potential impacts of the scheme on the environment, including biodiversity, and the range and scope of the proposed studies to assess this impact. It is advisable to base these studies on existing data and provide as much detail on the intended methods and frequency of the surveys as possible. The statutory consultees will then provide comments on
to the assessment. After the scope of the surveys has been agreed, it is of equal importance to ensure that the surveys are undertaken to a high standard, in the appropriate season and fully in accordance with the agreed methodology and published best practice guidelines. It is also important to consider new information that comes to light as the surveys progress and be ready to respond with additional survey effort or a modified approach, where this is required.
For example, if unexpected negative impacts are observed then it may be possible to adjust operating procedures to minimise their effects. In addition, the results from such monitoring can be used to inform the consenting process for other similar projects in the future. It is possible that the resultant impacts may be less severe than expected or alternatively positive effects could have been observed. In order to evaluate the success of a particular mitigation measure, monitoring may be required.
How long from start to finish
Should we go to a multi-disciplinary
should we plan for the EIA to take?
consultancy or to an ecology specialist?
Initially, there will be a period of approximately 6 months during which appraisals and consultation are undertaken. A large scheme may require surveys over a period of two or more years and a period after this of perhaps 6 months during which the assessment is undertaken and the required reports produced. Therefore, it could take 3 or more years before the EIA is completed.
Using a specialist professional ecological consultancy gives you direct access to the ecologists undertaking what is an increasingly important and complex aspect of the consenting process. Choose one that employs a wide range of specialists (they are likely to be leaders in their field) and has direct access to the laboratories and equipment which may not be so readily available to multi-disciplinary consultancies. It is also important to ensure that they have the ability to handle and analyse large quantities of complex data, as this is often required for determining bird flight paths, fish spawning grounds and various other habitat and species characteristics.
the suitability of the proposed approach
Do we have to continue monitoring the wildlife and sea bed once the project is commissioned? Very often post-construction monitoring is required, this is normally dependant on the results of the assessment, or could be a condition of the consent for the project, or a protected species licence issued under the Habitats Regulations. The need for monitoring and its extent and duration will usually be determined by the scale of the project and the potential impacts of the scheme identified during the assessment process. The results from the monitoring can be used to inform management actions.
Richard Arnold is Technical Director of Thomson Ecology and sits on the Council of the Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management. Jessica Taylor is a marine biologist with Thomson Unicomarine, the marine division of Thomson Ecology. www.thomsonecology.com tel: 01483 466000
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All at sea: vessels for offshore wind farms Words: Penny Hitchin
hile offshore wind farms are being built, lots of different types of vessels are to be found in the area. On a busy day dozens of vessels can be buzzing around.
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The vessels come in a range of shapes and sizes with specialised vessels being built or adapted to serve this fast growing industry. Installing the massive turbines and foundations offshore requires the services of big jack up vessels. These are massive heavy lifting barges fitted with extendible support legs that can be raised in transit and lowered onto the sea bed. They are more floating crane than self propelled ship. The vessel is slowly manoeuvred (some are self-propelled but often tugs are used to tow them), into location with its legs raised up and the hull floating on the water. Once in the right place, the legs are lowered onto the seafloor. The weight of the barge plus additional ballast water are used to drive the legs into the sea bed. Once securely in place, the jacking system is used to raise the barge platform into the air. Jack up barges are broad of beam with shallow draught. They have one or two cranes used to lift the massive weight of wind farm turbines and foundations before they are positioned on the sea bed.
Global Marine Systems Limited specialises in laying submarine cable for telecommunications as well as for offshore renewables. Earlier this year the company installed two 2,300 tonne turntables on its vessel CS Sovereign to equip the ships for large offshore renewable energy projects.
Variety of vessels needed Other vessels involved in wind farm construction include support vessels, guard vessels, accommodation vessels, tugs, diving vessels, marine mammal observation vessels and crew transfer boats.
Support Vessels
“For our customers, we need to have the operational flexibility to make any project we carry out as cost-effective and expedient as possible, and so the investment in these turntables was vital for us to meet customer demand and to continue being a pioneer within the marine engineering industry” Nicci Broom, MD, Global Marine Energy.
“It's essential that Global Marine has a fleet of ships which can handle the rigorous demands of both the telecoms and energy markets, which understandably have different operational requirements,” says Nicci Broom, managing director, Global Marine Energy. “For our customers,
Connecting the turbines:
we need to have the operational flexibility
cable laying vessels
to make any project we carry out as cost-
Offshore wind turbines are connected by an intricate arrangement of array cables. These 'strings' connect all the turbines to offshore substations where transformers boost the power to a higher voltage before it is sent to an onshore substation via export cable(s). The array cables and the export cables are laid on the sea bed and then covered to minimise damage to them. Laying cables requires specialist vessels.
effective and expedient as possible, and so the investment in these turntables was vital for us to meet customer demand and to continue being a pioneer within the marine engineering industry.” Where export cables run across intertidal areas often protected environments - an amphibious vessel such as Christoffers chain trencher 'Nessie' which can operate without the need for winching devices or temporary roads, will be called in.
Offshore support vessels (for transporting people to and from installations), are required during both the installation and commissioning phase turbines, and the operations and maintenance phase of offshore wind farms. Currently one support vessel is required for every 20 to 25 wind turbines. If offshore wind farms grow at the rate predicted for Europe over the next 10 years then around 30 new offshore support vessels will be needed each year. Once construction is completed the specialised vessels move off to their next assignment, leaving the offshore support vessels (OSVs) to their daily routine. Turbine Transfers Limited (TT) of Holyhead is one of a number of companies specialising in OSV for offshore wind farms. TT operates a fleet of 18 fast catamarans for getting people and equipment to and from offshore wind turbines. The TT fleet includes 12, 15, 16, 18 and 20 metre versions built by Isle of Wight boat builders South Boats. Earlier this year TT ordered three new purposebuilt 21 metre offshore support vessels from the Australian company Austal. Key features of the new vessels are the ability to travel fast (up to 30 knots) with targeted seakeeping ability in up to 2 metres significant wave height. We have traditionally been a seafaring nation. The offshore wind industry is responsible for a new chapter in our sea going history, providing new challenges to naval architects, engineers and seaman alike.
Images: 1. Sea Jack 2 courtesy of DONG Energy A/S 2. Turbine Transfer crew boat courtesy of Turbine Transfer/Austal 3. Power Cable courtesy of Global Marine Systems 4. Diver Hoist courtesy Chris Laurens/ Vattenfall 5. HLV Rambiz at Ormonde courtesy Ben Barden/Vattenfall 6. Sea Jack courtesy of DONG Energy A/S 7. HLV Svanen at Sheringham Shoal courtesy of Ballast Needam 8. CS Sovereign courtesy of Global Marine Systems 9. Nessie V cable laying courtesy of Christoffers Onshore & Subsea GmbH 10. Nessie III cable laying courtesy of Christoffers Onshore & Subsea GmbH 11. CS Sovereign courtesy of Global Marine Systems 12. Nessie V courtesy of Christoffers Onshore & Subsea GmbH
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Hart, Fenton and Company Limited P&O Ferries and Hart, Fenton & Company join forces to support efficient wind farm maintenance. UK Round 3 Wind Farm developments present both opportunities and challenges to the marine and offshore industry. Not least is the fact that, given the proposed sites’ distance from land, achieving a full day’s onsite work from shore based maintenance personnel is impracticable. Hart, Fenton & Company, one of the UK’s longest established Naval Architecture Consultancies and P&O Ferries have combined their design and operational expertise to overcome this challenge. The result is a range of Wind Farm Mothership solutions that deliver cost effective in-field maintenance for both inshore and far offshore wind farms. The planned vessels will provide secure and stable hotel environments for technicians and workboat crew – allowing them to remain comfortably onsite for extended periods. As a result, operators can avoid the significant costs and risks associated with regular long distance transit to and from port.
For further information contact: Mike Simpson, Managing Director, Hart, Fenton & Company Tel: +44 (0)23 9287 5277 Email: mike.simpson@hart-fenton.com
SNS THE SEA OF 2012 OPPORTUNITY The Conference for Offshore Energy
Southern North Sea 2012 1st March 2012, John Innes Centre, Norwich, NR4 7UH
New for 2012 – bigger venue & exhibition
Sponsored by:
Book online at www.eeegr.com
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Feature
Innovation: improving access to distant, deep water wind farms Words: Penny Hitchin Boat Image: FastSWATH vessel, John Kecsmar, Ad Hoc Marine Designs Ltd Model Images: courtesy of Divex
onstructing and operating huge Round 3 offshore wind farms in deep water out to sea poses a host of challenges. Innovative and effective solutions are required to bring down the cost of offshore wind generation. One particular challenge will be getting operations and maintenance teams safely to and from the wind farms.
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Existing Round 1 & 2 offshore wind farms are close to the shore and consist of clusters of turbines built in waters less than 25 m deep. Operations and maintenance crews are transferred to the turbines by short trips in crew transfer boats which can operate most days of the year. The proposed Round 3 projects could see thousands of turbines constructed in deep water up to 300km offshore. Getting people to and from work in rough sea conditions will need a different approach. As part of its Offshore Wind Accelerator project the Carbon Trust set out to find ideas that can be commercialised to make transfers possible 300 days a year. Thirteen designs will receive funding of up to £100,000 to help development. Each design will also get support from major UK wind farm developers. The 13 shortlisted designs are an eclectic mix. They include a giant robotic arm for transferring engineers and equipment to the turbine base; a boat that uses suspension inspired by ‘The Dakar’ winning rally cars to remain stable for the transfer; a 'seahorse' vessel with a massive keel that minimises movements in the ocean swell; and a giant mother ship/harbour that would act as an accommodation base for engineers who could remain offshore for weeks at a time, travelling daily to turbines via smaller daughter craft. The ideas draw on technologies developed for use in manufacturing, motorsport,
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diving and ship maintenance, and come from Europe, Canada and Australia. The designers range from a university student to established offshore wind maintenance vessel operators. Benj Sykes, Director of Innovation at the Carbon Trust, said: “We've trawled the globe looking for revolutionary new ideas that can transfer engineers safely in the huge swells around the UK’s coasts. People have been building boats for thousands of years, but we've seen some truly radical departures from what you would think a boat should look like. These designs could significantly improve the economics of offshore wind and keep our engineers safe far out to sea.” Jesper K Holst, Head of UK Project Development, DONG Energy which plans to operate over a gigawatt of UK offshore wind farms said: “It’s great to see such a range of designers shortlisted in the competition. They’ve all really used their imagination and given us a shortlist inspired by racing cars, robots and sea creatures.”
The projects are shortlisted in three categories: ■
Transfer systems for getting people and equipment from vessel to turbine, with motion-compensation to help avoid seasickness
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Vessels: for transporting people and equipment from offshore bases or mother ships to turbines
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Launch and recovery systems fitted to the permanent bases or mother ships for launching and recovering daughter craft from the sea.
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Case Studies Recovery systems
Transfer systems
Aberdeen based company Divex designs, and manufactures diving and subsea equipment used in the offshore oil and gas industry. Joint MD Derek Clarke came up with idea of a new Launch and Recovery System (LARS) for use in offshore wind farms. LARS would use the established ramp recovery method for high sea launch and recovery, but applies this so that it can be fitted to a dual hull mother vessel or possibly a mono hull.
Ad Hoc Marine Designs, with the collaboration of South Boats have invented the Autobrow System which has made the Carbon Trust shortlist. The access device is attached to the foredeck of the transfer boat. An actively controlled brow link to the access ladder provides a counter against the motion caused by sea swells, minimising relative motion between the turbine tower access ladder and the access point on the vessel. Autobrow is simple, reliable, modular and hence flexible; low weight and low cost and can be retrofitted to existing transfer boats. The first Autobrow systems are currently in final design and construction and will be available in 2012.
The principle is an inclinable and semisubmersible cradle that can be raised up to the vessel or be lowered into the sea to allow launch and recovery. The unique design of the mechanical connection to the vessel automatically alters the angle of the cradle from horizontal (when stowed) to a suitable ramp angle when the cradle/boat is in the water.
“We are fortunate to be at the forefront of an exciting era in offshore wind and with the support of the Carbon Trust through this competition we hope to remain there.” Derek Clarke, Joint MD, Divex designs
The cradle is raised and lowered by a fast action constant tension winch that automatically synchronises the cradle/boat motion with the swell to avoid slap and snatch during launching and recovery. An automatic bow latch holds the boat securely in the cradle until the moment of launch and similarly captures the boat during recovery. Derek Clarke says: “We are fortunate to be at the forefront of an exciting era in offshore wind and with the support of the Carbon Trust through this competition we hope to remain there. The launch and recovery system for daughter craft we have designed should significantly reduce the complexity and risk currently associated with such a manoeuvre to the benefit of all concerned.”
Vessels A vessel concept from Strathclyde University engineering student Robbie Macdonald is unique in a shortlist of designs from established companies. Robbie explains that a summer internship working in the onshore wind industry got him interested in the challenges of renewable energy. For his final year degree he designed a flexible bridge system for wind farm transfer vessels which would double the maximum wave height for safe transfer. With the backing of the University he submitted this idea, alongside a concept for a vessel for the offshore wind industry, to the Carbon Trust OWA competition. His vessel concept has made the shortlist. Robbie is delighted. “For me the award is hugely significant. It has given me support and confidence in my idea and means I can get on with developing it.” He is now doing a masters degree focusing on development of the innovative vessel that will provide a better way to access and transfer to wind turbines. Ad Hoc Marine and South Boats' range of innovative vessel solutions and research topics were highly commended in the vessels section. One solution to the requirement for cost effective support vessels is the use of SWATHs - Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull - an established design, which has yet to become established in Europe's offshore wind farm operations. Ad Hoc Marine's FastSWATH transfer vessel has been designed specifically for offshore wind farms, combining speeds of 25 knots with the ability to operate in 2m wave heights, without compromising speed or comfort.
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Feature
Onshore wind turbines crank up UK generation profile
UK onshore wind farms brought into operation 1992-2005, showing numbers of turbines and windspeed data
Words: Penny Hitchin
ind has been used to power machines since the 1st century AD! Windmills were first used for electricity production at the end of the 19th century when Professor James Blyth in Scotland, Charles F. Brush in Ohio and Poul de la Cour in Denmark all used wind power to generate. We are now seeing a 21st century resurgence of wind power. Trade body RenewableUK says that wind has been the world's fastest growing renewable energy source for the last seven years, and this trend is expected to continue.
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UK top European wind ratings The UK is the windiest country in Europe. Since the first wind farm in the UK was built in Cornwall in 1991, onshore wind energy has established itself. In 2007 wind energy overtook hydropower to become the UK's largest renewable generation source, contributing 2.2 per cent of the UK's electricity supply, with onshore wind comprising the bulk of this.
Choosing sites for onshore wind turbines ‘Nimbyism’ has meant that getting consent for onshore wind farms has been problematic. As the map shows, they are often sited in areas of low population density. The most important influence on turbine performance is the windiness of the site. The maps use wind speed projections from the Department of Energy and Climate Change to show estimated wind across the UK. The power available from the wind is a function of the cube of the wind speed. Thus doubling the wind speed gives eight times the power output from the turbine. Wind farms are designed so that the fleet of turbines do not block each other and gain the maximum energy from the wind.
Mapping the UK's onshore fleet Onshore wind generation in the UK has seen a boom in the last couple of decades. Wind&WaveCONNECT commissioned an expert in Geographical Information Systems to map RenewableUK's Wind Energy Database UKWED against population and against wind speed. 26
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UK onshore wind farms brought into operation 2005 - October 2011, showing numbers of turbines and windspeed data
Feature
Operational, consented and planned GB onshore wind farms by size
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Building an offshore wind farm
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Feature
Words: Penny Hitchin Images: Ben Barden Photography/Vattenfall
Matthew Green
ooking out across the Irish Sea from the Lake District fells, the south Cumbria coast is dotted with numerous clusters of offshore wind turbines. The most recent addition is Vattenfall's 150 MW Ormonde wind farm sitting in nine square kilometres of sea 10km from the port of Barrow-in-Furness.
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With commissioning of the 30 REpower 5MW wind turbines nearing completion, Project Manager Matthew Green spoke to Wind&WaveCONNECT about the challenges and achievements of building the wind farm. Offshore construction started May 2010 and first power from the first turbine came 16 months later. “The first big milestone in a project is the first time you get any of the components successfully installed, because then you know you can do it again and again. The pre-piling and the installation of the first Ormonde foundation was a huge achievement, successfully bringing together a large number of unknowns.” Ormonde was the first time Burntisland Fabrications' pioneering large jacketed foundations and steel platform had been deployed on such a large scale. For the crew of Heavy Lifting Vessel Rambiz, it was also a first experience installing the new design. The team prefer to install the
foundations during daylight hours, but wind farm construction work is a 24 hour operation. Once the foundations were ready, turbines were shipped across from Belfast and installation could start at any time of day or night. As soon as one was installed, the team moved to the next location to get the next one into place.
out to the turbine to finish commissioning the final turbines.”
It was a complex operation. The turbine installation vessel had 46 people aboard; support vessels and transfer vessels in attendance; a shift working around the clock onshore in Belfast, preparing turbines for despatch, and a team of 17 technicians working from Barrow starting mechanical completion as soon as each turbine was installed.
will have scheduled maintenance visits
The scale of the engineering is impressive each nacelle, perched on top of its 100m high turbine is the size of a house! Turbine installation is spectacular, but Matthew says that in engineering terms foundation installation is the most dramatic, while cable installation is very technically involved.
crew can climb up to the platform.
Weather dominates wind farm construction and operations. Matthew explains:
safety and environmental record are
“During the construction phase, everything is managed around it. The worst weather was at the beginning of 2011 when a very bad storm damaged the new pontoons we had installed in Walney Channel. We are still battling the weather - trying to get people
lot of high risk activities and we have not
Once each turbine is completed the project team test it via a 10 day reliability phase. If it operates without any problem, the paperwork is finalised and handed over to the O&M Department along with responsibility for the turbine. Each turbine during the summer months. Unplanned maintenance can be required at any time of year. In that case crew may be waiting four or five days to be able to get to a turbine using crew transfer boats. The boats have restricted sea-state operations, and if wave heights are over 1.5 metres it is impossible to engage with the access ladder so that Over 2,000 people have been part of the team that constructed the wind farm. Matthew reflects: “When I joined, looking forward, all aspects of the project seemed a big challenge. Schedule, cost and quality are always issues! Now, looking back, the important: a lot of people working on a had any significant issues.” Once the project construction team deem all the turbines operational, Matthew will be packing up and moving on to build another Vattenfall offshore wind farm.
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Feature
Atlantis AK1000 Tidal Turbine courtesy of Atlantis Resources Corporation
E.ON P2 Machine in operation in Orkney courtesy of Pelamis Wave Power
OpenHydro
The race to deliver commercial marine energy Developing marine energy to provide electricity to the UK national grid is a huge challenge which holds the prospect of mighty rewards: in terms of energy generation, investment, jobs, manufacture and of course profit. Who's who in the industry? Words: Penny Hitchin
eople often ask why we don't use wave and tidal power to generate electricity? It is a good question - why don't we harness the considerable and predictable movement of the sea? The answer is that we will… but the technology is not yet ready to come to market on the scale required. Marine energy technology is probably 10 years behind wind power and look how much that has developed in the last decade.
P
However, substantial development work lies ahead and big investment in the technology and the national grid will be required before tidal and wave farms can be relied on to yield returns. Various tidal and wave devices are competing for backers and looking for investment. Naturally, the big six electricity companies want part of the action and they are picking and backing the likely technology as designs emerge from the laboratory into prototype 30
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and then hopefully into full scale operation. Last year The Crown Estate awarded leases for the installation of a massive 1600MW of marine energy generation in the fast flowing waters around the north of Scotland. Leaders in the race to develop new technology include:
track record in commercialising renewable technologies. The same month PWP also secured agreement with The Crown Estate to build a 10MW commercial wave farm off the west coast of Lewis, Outer Hebrides.
Oyster Aquamarine Power's Oyster wave power
Pelamis
technology is a wave-powered pump which
Edinburgh based Pelamis Wave Power
pushes high pressure water to drive a
was set up in 1998 to develop the Pelamis
conventional onshore hydro-electric turbine.
‘snake’ wave energy converter. The company
It is designed to work with near-shore
has commercial orders from two of the big
waves. Aquamarine Power's existing major
six utilities - E.ON and ScottishPower - for its
shareholders include utility Scottish and
wave energy converters in two Orkney sites.
Southern Electricity (SSE) and power
PWP has raised £40m of development funding from financial and industry backers. Major shareholders include Emerald Technology Ventures, Norsk Hydro Technology Ventures, BlackRock Investment Managers and 3i.
and automation multinational ABB.
In October 2011 PWP brought in a new
option to a partnership of Aquamarine and
CEO Per Hornung Pedersen who has a
SSE Renewables in the waters off Orkney.
In 2009, Aquamarine Power signed an agreement with SSE Renewables to develop up to 1GW of Oyster wave farms. Last year The Crown Estate awarded a 200MW lease
Feature
Hammerfest HS1000 courtesy of ScottishPower Renewables
SeaGen courtesy of Marine Current Turbines
Oyster courtesy of Aquamarine Power and SSE
In September 2011 Aquamarine Power celebrated £7m of new funding. Three million came from each of its two major shareholders: SSE Venture Capital and ABB. A further £1 million came from the public sector via the Scottish Investment Bank. In September Aquamarine announced Barclays were loaning £3.4 million to support completion of the 2.4MW Oyster array at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC), Orkney. This is the first instance of debt finance by a wave or tidal firm. ABB and Scottish Enterprise are working together to develop funding of another £18 million towards commercialisation in 2014.
Marine Current Turbines Bristol based Marine Current Turbines Ltd is developing its SeaGen underwater turbine technology to exploit sea currents. As water is much denser than air, the size of turbine needed to extract energy underwater can be much smaller than a wind turbine and tidal stream devices can be packed closely together. Marine Current Turbines (MCT) installed the world's first offshore tidal turbine off the Devon coast in May 2003 and completed installation and commissioning of the world's first commercial scale tidal turbine, the 1.2 MW SeaGen, in Strangford Narrows in Northern Ireland in 2008. MCT has financial backing from energy conglomerate Siemens, big six utility EDF, Triodos Bank and a subsidiary of the Irish Electricity Supply Board. The company has strategic partnerships with RWE to develop a series of sites across the UK and further afield. In October 2011 Marine Current Turbines (MCT) and RWE npower renewables were awarded a Crown Estate lease for the 10MW Skerries Tidal Stream project off the Anglesey coast.
Hammerfest Strøm Norwegian company Hammerfest Strøm is developing power plants consisting of tidal turbines connected together as an
array. The technology was first deployed in 2004 in Norway.
In 2006 Atlantis established operations in
In August 2010 Austrian hydropower plant manufacturer Andritz Hydro took a big shareholding in Hammerfest Strøm. Other investors include Statoil and Iberdrola, (Spanish owner of ScottishPower).
bank Morgan Stanley became a shareholder
One of Hammerfest Strøm's HS1000 1MW tidal stream turbines was installed at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) test centre in 2011. Hammerfest Strøm is working with ScottishPower Renewables on plans for a 10MW tidal project in the Sound of Islay.
In 2009 Norwegian state utility Statkraft became an equity investor and customer of Atlantis. In 2011 EDBI of Singapore became a strategic investor.
Singapore and the next year US investment in Atlantis. In 2008 Atlantis acquired Morgan Stanley's UK-based marine power project Current Resources Ltd, now renamed Atlantis Resources (UK) Ltd.
The Atlantis technology was deployed at EMEC in 2010 but a manufacturing fault in
OpenHydro
the blade meant that the test was called
OpenHydro is an Irish tidal energy technology company which designs and manufactures marine turbines to generate renewable energy from tides. OpenHydro's technology is based on the Open-Centre Turbine that converts the movement of water directly into electricity. The company, formed in 2005, holds the world rights to technology developed in the US during the early 1990s.
off. New blades were fitted this year and by
OpenHydro has a 2,500 m2 European assembly facility at Greenore Port in County Louth. The first turbine to be built there was completed in October 2007. OpenHydro is testing a tidal turbine at the EMEC test facility off the island of Eday, Orkney. In January 2011 French company DCNS, a leader in naval defence, paid 14 million for an 8 per cent holding in OpenHydro. The company's next major project is to supply and install four large turbines off the Brittany coast to create a gridconnected tidal farm for EDF. OpenHydro also has contracts to supply turbine technology to projects in Nova Scotia and the Channel Islands.
September the Atlantis 1 MW AR1000 was connected to the grid. Two years of testing lie ahead of the roll-out of the full project. The MeyGen tidal energy project to install Atlantis technology in the 398 MW project in the Inner Sound of the Pentland Firth has three partners - investment bank Morgan Stanley, independent power generator International Power plc and Atlantis Resources Corporation.
Other companies get development sites In October 2011 The Crown Estate added eight new agreements for wave and tidal energy projects. AWS Ocean Energy won a site in the Moray Firth for its oscillating water column wave technology. Marine Energy Limited acquired a site West of Islay while Nova Innovation got Bluemull Sound, Shetland. The coast of the Kintyre Peninsula will play host to Nautricity and Oceanflow Development. Minesto won a site in Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland for its underwater kite. The Carbon Trust says that a thriving
Atlantis Resources
marine energy sector could generate up
Atlantis Resources Corporation has been involved in the commercialisation of tidal power technology around the world for the past decade. The company started developing tidal turbine prototype designs and concepts in Australia.
to £76 billion to the UK economy by 2050, supporting over 68,000 UK jobs. Could the UK's best marine energy sites generate electricity at costs comparable with nuclear and onshore wind by 2025? If so, the rewards are potentially enormous. Wind&WaveCONNECT
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Law
Electricity Market Reform How will it affect projects coming on line in the next few years? Words: Ross Fairley Image: Icepie
he Government's Electricity Market Reform (EMR) proposes some radical reforms to the electricity sector including the way in which renewable energy projects are incentivised and how electricity from them is traded. Those, along with existing projects ought to re-examine their power agreements to ensure they remain workable post 2017. Renewable energy projects being considered, financed and entering operation between now and 2017 will have to give considerable thought to the EMR proposals and be ready to deal with what might be a rapidly changing landscape of policy and legislation as power trading principles emerge.
From 1 April 2017, no new renewables energy projects will be entitled to ROC's. Between effectively 2014 and 2017, projects will have a choice between either accreditation under the Renewables Obligation (RO) or opting for the new system of a Feed in Tariff Contract for Difference (FIT CFD). Understanding how the Government will maintain the value of a ROC post 2017, when the RO has closed to new entrants, will be crucial in deciding which route to take.
T
There are quite a few thorny issues to think about if your project falls within the transitional period under the EMR proposals 2013 to 2017. ■
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What will the value of a renewable obligation certificate (ROC) be for your project?
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■
If the construction of your project is delayed or if you build your project in phases (very relevant to offshore wind) such that some of the turbines are not accredited by 2017, what effect will that have on the project? Can you still pull these turbines under the RO? The answer to this will vary on current EMR proposals. If the delay is out of your control and relates to grid or radar issues, it may still be possible. Otherwise, it is likely that you will end up with a
project having a mix of incentives applying to it? ■
Who will want to take the power you generate post 2017 with the EMR arrangements in place? What will be the incentive on electricity suppliers to take the electricity given that the RO is going to be phased out?
■
What regulatory certainty is there that the large scale FIT CFD will not be altered? You will want to look closely at the ability of the Government to review the scheme when legislation is finally drafted. It appears that the Government is proposing reviews starting as early as 2016. The industry, it is fair to say, has been alarmed at the way the Government has changed the rules for the small scale FIT, so is looking to have confidence restored.
■
How will the strike price for the new FIT CFD contracts be set and how will that measure up against the supported ROC price?
Law
■
■
When is the Government proposing to introduce auctioning as a way of determining the strike price for a FIT CFD for your renewable energy technology? Whilst the Government has said it will not "initially" implement auctioning, there is a clear statement in the consultation and White Paper that eventually it will. In reality do transitional projects have much of a choice? The first FIT CFD contracts are due to be signed in 2014. The choice of incentive route is usually made prior to the start of construction when financing is required. At what stage will you be allowed to enter into a FIT CFD? For a large renewables project, the construction period may be 2 years. Do you gamble on the ROC support level not being altered during this construction period prior to commissioning when you actually get accredited, or do you opt for and agree a FIT CFD contract prior to construction?
■
How will the new EMR work with the devolved administrations?
■
What is the robustness of the FIT CFD counterparty? The Government recognises this issue and are we to see a third party body set up?
The White Paper provides a steer on some of these questions which developers, investors and funders to projects will want to address. Burges Salmon has closed projects post the EMR announcement and has had to deal with EMR uncertainties. We can provide advice in some of these areas and are monitoring the development of the EMR which may clarify some of these issues. If you would like further advice or want to know more about the services Burges Salmon can offer, please contact Ross Fairley on 0117 902 6351 or ross.fairley@burges-salmon.com
Ross Fairley is a partner and Head of Renewable Energy at Burges Salmon solicitors. The team advises on all types of renewable energy project including wind (onshore and offshore), Wave and tidal, hydro, solar, biomass, geothermal and innovative waste to energy technologies. Ross advises clients on legal/regulatory aspects of the energy sector including incentives, grid, fuel procurement and power sales. He has substantial experience in marine renewables and offshore wind, covering projects in all Crown Estate rounds.
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Health & Safety
A Wind(ow) of Opportunity for Safety Training Global firm reveal state of the art training complex Words: Greig Duncan, Falck Nutec
alck Nutec have a reputation for providing safety training for some of the most hazardous jobs in the world, including offshore oil and gas, and emergency response teams. The company has continued its global growth by diversifying into the offshore wind market. The news comes as the leading global provider of health and safety training has launched a brand new £550,000 extension to its existing industrial training centre in the heart of the Teesside region.
F
The training unit boasts an industry-leading centre of excellence, which features a 23.7m tall wind turbine training tower and an external boat transfer simulator for a range of realistic offshore wind training 2
courses, alongside a 72m rigging and workshop area to deliver OPITO accredited courses, thus giving trainees the chance to practice safety in true-to-life situations. The additions to the existing training centre will mean that it will be one of the most comprehensive offshore wind health and safety training bases in the whole country, for both pool-based survival training and outdoor practical training, with approval to deliver RenewableUK accredited Marine Safety Training and Working at Heights courses in the pipeline. Managing Director for Falck Nutec UK, Graham Gall, said of the developments: “There is no doubt in my mind that Teesside is one of the most highly-skilled bases for manufacturing, petrochemicals and engineering in the United Kingdom and we are delighted to be able to offer additional training services here. Our new wind tower is visible from the surrounding industrial estate; this hopefully stands as a symbol of positivity in the area and this emerging market. Our experience and knowledge of training for the offshore energy business is also proving invaluable in the development of course programmes, which are aligned to offshore wind training, turbine transfer courses and the renewable energy sector as a whole.” Newly-appointed Business Development Manager for Renewable Energy, Lisa Dodds is delighted that the organisation can offer cutting-edge facilities in the UK: “Falck has already been providing safety training services for offshore wind turbines over in Scandinavia for many years. We have used that knowledge to build up our expertise in the United Kingdom. The end result of this is that we can now offer a suite of advanced facilities across Europe, in countries such as Denmark, Germany, The Netherlands and here at our base in Teesside. We have already successfully passed the audit to deliver the RenewableUK accredited MST course, official paperwork is expected by mid October with Working at Heights approval due to follow thereafter. We will of course continue to offer a range of courses certified by other training bodies, such as OPITO and STCW and will also offer customer bespoke packages.
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Health & Safety
“One of the most hazardous jobs when working on a wind turbine is just getting to work, we aim to provide practical training that has a realistic and worthwhile practical element to it. To date our boat transfer, confined space and sea survival courses have been receiving excellent feedback, our extended premises can only add value to what clients in the industry are looking for. “Technicians have to transfer between the vessels and on to the turbine itself. We give that training using our dock facility. Once the Round 3 offshore wind farms are operational, we will no-doubt benefit from the majority of these being located on the East coast of the country. The experience we have gathered in the oil and gas sector fits well for moving into the renewable energy sector. We have also developed our healthcare and medical offerings to cater for the specific needs of the offshore wind sector. The level of fitness required and exertion on the body are considered to be crucial considerations when developing training courses for offshore personnel to make sure that they can do their job safely. It is imperative to ensure that an individual is fit to perform the work/task they are required to carry out without putting their own or others health and safety at risk.
“Renewable energy specific courses are also available in high altitude descent and rescue, boat transfer, confined space, sea survival, firefighting and first aid. Our suite of wind turbine training courses can cater for a range of stages in the development process; from onshore construction, to site surveys, installation, commissioning, operations and maintenance and the eventual safe decommissioning of offshore wind projects.” Teesside centre manager, Bill Whyman, added that: “Our new facility at Teesside will allow us to deliver a wider range of specialised industrial courses, it houses a purpose-built workshop area, complete with split level rigging frames and rigging loft. In addition the main hall provides ample space for practical industrial training courses in basic forklift, mobile elevated work platforms, scaffolding, confined space and working at heights. To be able to deliver a whole suite of industry accredited courses and bespoke courses either at our centre or at customer premises is highly beneficial to many of our existing and prospective new clients.
planning and training courses, company specific and generic fire training and a range of other options.” Falck Nutec has OPITO approved sites in Teesside and Europe's Oil & Gas capital, Aberdeen. The firm specialises in offshore survival training, company specific practical fire safety training, emergency response, dangerous goods, CAA VHF Radio, helideck training, and sea survival. Falck group has 30 safety training centres across five continents globally. Additionally, Falck Healthcare in the UK has the ability to offer a range of occupational health and medical services, ranging from OGUK medicals to drug and alcohol screening to offshore inoculations. Further details on Falck Nutec's offshore wind training offerings are available from www.falcknutec.co.uk or by emailing Lisa Dodds on lisa.dodds@falcknutec.co.uk.
“Elements from all training sectors in which we operate can be incorporated, for example, on-site practical training for manufacturing, major emergency
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Feature
Getting to know Lisa Dodds Business Development Manager - Renewable Energy, Falck Nutec www.falck.com/nutec_uk
What was your worst holiday? I don't have a “worst holiday� I've enjoyed every trip I've made. Life is what you make it.
What is the best advice you've been given? Who are you? Lisa Dodds, Business Development Manager - Renewable Energy, Falck Nutec
What brought you into the industry/your position? I spent 4 years working in the renewable energy industry before joining Falck Nutec in March 2011. Falck Nutec is a global H&S training organisation which has traditionally operated in the oil & gas, maritime and general industries but which has the ambition to be the leading H&S training provider to the renewables industry by 2015 and hence my appointment to help achieve this goal.
Family status? Living with partner and getting married next year.
What inspires you? People inspire me. There's always someone worse off than you bravely battling through and there's always someone with a great vision.
Who is your hero and why? Anyone who gets rid of a spider for me!!!
What was your best holiday? Difficult to choose as there've been so many good ones. Venice is amazing, the Maldives stunning and the USA has so much to choose from. I can't really choose just one.
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Treat others as you'd like to be treated yourself.
If you could time travel, where would you go and who would you want to meet? I'd like to go back in time to meet Queen Victoria. Life in those times was so very different to modern times. In her 63 year reign she saw many changes and I'm sure would have many stories to tell. Her reign spanned
What makes you laugh?
a fascinating period of huge industrial,
Loads of things. Friends, family, life in general is pretty amusing, especially if you're a people watcher like I am. I also find Peter Kay and Sarah Millican hilarious.
cultural, political, scientific and military
What do you do in your spare time? I spend time with family & friends, swim, read, shop, eat out, enjoy the odd glass or two of red wine, the list goes on....
What is your favourite music/artist? It's probably easier to say what I don't like and that's opera and heavy metal.
What was the last film you saw at the cinema? I can't remember. We keep meaning to go to the cinema but something else always seems to crop up.
If money was not a factor, what would you do/buy tomorrow? I'd buy a house somewhere warm with a pool and sea view.
What 3 words would best describe you? Friendly, approachable, professional.
change in the UK.
What book are you reading at present? I'm in between books at the moment having just finished the Steig Larsson Millennium trilogy.
Do you support any teams? Not really, I'm not a huge sports fan. If pushed I guess I'd have to say that I like to see Newcastle United doing well.
What law/legislation would you like to see introduced? A pet hate of mine is people dropping litter and chewing gum in the street. If caught I think these thoughtless people should be made to tidy up the mess they've made.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? I have absolutely no idea! It would be lovely if I had that house in the sun.... Apart from that I'd like to still be involved in the renewables industry, helping to ensure that the people
What talents would you like to have?
working in the industry are safe,
I'd like to be artistic and I'd like to be able to play the piano.
making the world a greener, more
have secure jobs and that we are self sustaining place.
TheCONNECTSeries Check out our other exciting publications
RailCONNECT coming soon
TheCONNECTSeries
Words: James McIntosh, Marketing and Communications Manager, HETA
Training
H
ETA, Humberside Engineering Training Association, is a notfor-profit charity which has been established
since 1967. The company has three sites across the Humber; Hull, the CATCH Facility at Stallingborough and at Tata Steel in Scunthorpe. HETA main service is to offer an end-to-end Engineering Advanced Apprenticeship. They recruit and train over 200 apprentices each year across the three sites. These are then placed within one of HETA's 160 client companies, including BP, Conoco Phillips, Logan Teleflex, Centrica, Yorkshire Water, Ecotricity, Crown Paints and many more. In addition to this, HETA also delivers a range of engineering, safety and management adult training courses to industry. HETA are proud to have 10 wind energy apprentices and are the first training provider in the region to train for the wind energy industry. Ecotricity have 4 wind energy apprentices, Blackrow Engineering have 5 and RES have one, who is the Humbers first offshore
wind apprentice. Chris Holden, Contract Manager at RES said: “The HETA apprenticeship scheme is second to none. As a former apprentice myself, I knew when my organisation asked me to look at apprentice training providers, that HETA would be able to meet our needs.
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We now have an RES Offshore Apprentice training at HETA and we're delighted that they were so flexible to meet our requirements and design a bespoke renewable energy apprenticeship.� The bespoke renewable energy apprenticeship was designed by HETA to match client demands in the industry. With the apprentices spending a full year in a HETA training centre with a mixture of intense workshop training and classroom work, it ensures that when the apprentice goes into company in their 2nd year, they have a solid base of skills from which to build on.
The renewable energy apprenticeship is designed with Operations and Maintenance Technicians in mind with 5 of the 10 apprentices already in company servicing turbines on a daily basis. After a first year based around Electrical and Instrumentation training the apprentices cover topics such as Measurement methods and control engineering, PLCs, Electrical testing and commissioning, Maintenance of pneumatic systems and components, Wiring and testing electrical equipment and circuits, installation and maintenance.
Training
Image: Jacob Lofthouse, Hull’s first ever wind energy apprentice
Image: Students taking part in SMart futures activity
The 5 Blackrow Engineering Wind Energy apprentices are currently undergoing their first year of the apprenticeship at HETA's Stallingborough facility and Blackrow Business Development Manager Barry Taylor said: “HETA offered so much in terms of flexibility with the structure of our training needs, coupled with real credibility when it came to meeting young people they had trained that we couldn't find a reason not to use their excellent services.” All HETA apprentices come through their renowned 6 Step Selection process which begins every February and whittle
down around 750 applicants for 100 places. Included in this are aptitude tests, workshop assessments and formal interviews all to ensure that the companies who are taking on the apprentices are getting the best candidates for a career in engineering. In addition to this HETA are running a schools project in conjunction with SMart Wind (Siemens and Mainstream) entitled SMart Futures. The project aspires to raise awareness of STEM subjects as a route to long-term jobs and career progression within the wind energy industry. Over the course of
the 4 year project, each year will have a competition and the winners of each year get the unique opportunity to come up with a name for a block of development that will make up the Hornsea Zone offshore wind farm. SMart Wind UK Content Manager Steve Clarke said: “SMart Wind are delighted with the results HETA have achieved over the first year of the SMart Futures programme. Reaching and inspiring over 2,000 pupils to consider jobs and careers in offshore wind and renewable energy is an astounding outcome and is testimony to the effort, enthusiasm and dynamism throughout the entire HETA team.”
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Recruitment
UK Onshore Wind Development up by 111% Words: Vicky Kenrick Image: Icepie images
t was announced this October that the UK's renewable energy supply reached a record high of 9.6%, for April to June this year, according to government statistics. Also, the figures released by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) reveal a 50% rise in overall electricity from renewable energy sources to a total of 7.86 TWh with wind making up nearly half (46.4%) of the renewable electricity produced over the period. In addition, a spokesman for the Scottish Government said: “Just this week, (Oct 10th) more up-todate figures showed that renewable energy generation has increased significantly in 2011, with UK onshore wind energy generation up 111% on the same period last year and hydro up by 74%”.
I
Although there are an increasing number of onshore wind energy roles throughout the UK, more specifically it is the Northern parts of the UK that stand out in terms of the number of installations and thus the potential for future job opportunities. Sheffield, Leeds and Bradford are leading the UK - along with the southwest city of Bristol - in renewable energy installations per 1000 population, according to a league table published by AEA Technology, an international energy and environmental consultancy.
These announcements come at a time when talks surrounding cutbacks in offshore wind farm development scatter the media: Energy Minister Charles Hendry launched a task force at the beginning of October 2011 that will look at ways of reducing the cost of the UK's offshore wind programme.
a demand for Land Acquisition and Purchasing Specialists, Regional Development Managers and Heads of Onshore Wind Development, as well as Environmental Impact Assessment and Health & Safety in Renewable Energy,” Georgina Hurst, Senior Consultant, Allen & York.
This move follows suggestions from the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) back in May 2011, when they suggested: “The U.K. government should consider scaling back its ambitions for costly offshore wind power by 2020 and look elsewhere to meet its binding renewable energy targets at a lower cost to the consumer.”
Reasons for the lower levels of development in the onshore wind sector in the past have been associated with planning challenges, particularly due to the scale of expansion required to meet renewable energy targets and the genuine concern that poorly sited wind farms and turbines can damage habitats and fauna. It is crucial to create an effective planning system that respects nature conservation concerns whilst securing rapid onshore wind development. In order to do this the UK should seek early engagement from stakeholders and clarity of nature conservation concerns, by developing high quality Environment Impact Assessments (EIA) to maximize local benefits and ensure effective ongoing wind farm management. Recognising the increase in roles in this area, Allen & York are seeing a rise in EIA positions within onshore wind projects.
The movement towards more onshore wind development production would give the offshore wind sector and other renewable energy sources more time to develop their technologies and reduce costs. Although wind energy is one of the cheapest of the renewable energy technologies, it currently costs UK wind farms from £2,000 to £4,000 to produce one kilowatt of offshore wind, whilst in comparison it ranges from £1,250 to £1,573 to produce one kilowatt of 1 onshore wind power.
For more information about job opportunities or for assistance recruiting within the renewable energy sector, please visit www.allen-york.com
In turn, this move is reflected in the onshore wind job sector. “We are witnessing an increase in onshore wind development roles, specifically within the UK. There is currently 1
http://www.bwea.com/pdf/briefings/Wind-Energy-Generation-Costs.pdf
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12th ye ar
ABERDEEN UK, 23/24 MAY 2012
All-Energy 2012 is the UK’s largest renewable energy event. Close to 8,000 visitors from 50+ countries attended All-Energy 2011 with its 580 exhibiting companies from 20 countries and more than 280 conference speakers. The major exhibition features the latest technology across the full range of the renewable energy sector. A free-to-attend multi-stream conference explores issues and challenges facing the industry and looks at renewable energy sources from multi-million pound offshore projects to micro-generation. All-Energy 2012 introduces ‘Offshore Maintenance – where offshore wind meets oil and gas’ and many other new features. www.all-energy.co.uk
organised by:
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Working with renewable energy companies to help solve the demanding technical, regulatory and commercial challenges they face, improving the safety and reliability of assets and the people, systems and processes involved. For support at every step of the way, from initial concept and detailed design through to construction, commissioning, operation, life extension and decommissioning contact Lloyd’s Register.
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All at sea: Vessels for offshore wind farms
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