Technology and stability in today’s o shore wind sector

The o shore wind sector faces a number of challenges in 2023 and beyond, including access to skilled labour in an industry that continues to expand in size and scope. Technology and remotely operated vessels could play a critical role in plugging the gap left by a dearth of specialists.

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF GAC.

In 2022, countries turbocharged their e orts to transition to more sustainable energy sources, with o shore wind farms playing a critical role. According to energy and climate think-tank Ember, the EU is on track to exceed its 40% renewable energy target by 2030, with investment in clean technologies reaching record highs buoyed by an abundance of o shore projects in the North Sea. Meanwhile, o shore renewable energy projects are popping up all over Asia, most notably o the coasts of China and India, as well as in strategic wind development zones in Taiwan and

Vietnam. Similarly, the US has tripled investment in o shore wind to USD 9.8 billion in 2022, according to Business Network for O shore Wind’s 2023 market outlook.

The scale of wind farm projects around the world grew in leaps and bounds last year, both in terms of farm sizes and their potential energy output. But, like other sectors, o shore wind is up against global inflationary and supply chain pressures which raise uncertainties in long-term commercial and investment decisions. O shore stakeholders are now looking for calmer waters to o set the risks those challenges pose. And in 2023, stability is the name of the game.

Access to skilled talent

One of the main hurdles is access to skilled talent. While oil & gas companies have become leaner in recent years, renewable companies are massively expanding their workforces. The Global Wind Organisation and Global Wind Energy Council anticipated that 568,800 technicians will be needed to build and maintain a global onshore and o shore wind fleet by 2026 – up 33% from 426,700 in 2021. And in a highly competitive job market, the sector also faces talent retention issues. According to the 2023 Global Energy Talent Index, 31% of the renewables workers surveyed said they had been approached to join another company six or more times, and 87% said they would consider switching to another role. Local restrictions and travel impositions during the peak of the pandemic exacerbated access to the available pool of skilled labour. “Port authorities and governments introduced special requirements for crew change operations, which reduced the frequency and number of o shore crew changes that we could carry out for almost two years”, says Eric Barnard, Managing Director of GAC South Africa. “Thankfully those restrictions have now mostly been lifted and it has become easier to arrange crew change operations, as well as organise the smaller but equally important aspects of the crew change process such as visas, seaman’s books, and airport and hotel bookings and transfers.”

A steady hand

With more than 60 years of experience supporting o shore projects, GAC has adapted and tailored its services to meet its customers’ needs and provide a steady hand amid a period of increased uncertainty. “Third-party logistics partners like ourselves are increasingly being called upon to provide e ective preparation and support to help developers circumnavigate a myriad of global issues”, states Simon Morris, GAC’s Group Business Development Manager, Oil & Gas. “For project managers, remaining flexible to the risks involved in o shore projects has become paramount. Thanks to our global reach, we can draw on the expertise of GAC’s o ces around the world to support o shore platforms and be as agile as our customers need us to be.” GAC provides a range of shipping, logistics, and marine services such as ship agency and husbandry services, barge and tug support, and emergency response capabilities: all vital but sometimes unsung components of o shore energy projects. For o shore crew in key locations, the company provides transportation services to and from o shore platforms from supply and launch vessels, as well as chartered helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft where needed.

Technology

Major stakeholders in o shore wind projects are increasingly turning to emerging technologies to minimise potential disruption caused by shortages of skilled labour and to reduce overheads, minimise their environmental impact and improve operational safety. Unmanned survey vessels (USVs) are staking their claim as a core component in such projects, enabling operations and maintenance players to collect a vast amount of on-site data to aid faster and smarter decision-making. Information gathered related to weather patterns, water currents, seabed conditions and more are valuable when planning other o shore wind farm projects. The technology proved useful in the Greater Changhua o shore wind farm project o the west coast of Taiwan, which aims to become an o shore wind powerhouse and reach net zero by 2050. With GAC’s support, the project used USVs to complete multiple small scopes during the installation phase of the wind farm, including monitoring of seabed conditions, sand waves, asset integrity of monopiles and cable stability. “USV technology could establish a new precedent for supporting o shore projects”, elaborates Erland Ebbersten, Group Vice President – Energy & Marine of GAC. “Unlike a traditional platform at sea, which requires regular crew changes, USVs can reduce the on-site work force and manpower costs, while minimising the need for technical experts and diving teams to operate in high-risk situations.”

While some innovations may be in their infancy, it is importantthat the industry understands how to use technology such as USVs e ectively to meet and support ambitious o shore energy goals.

Uncertainty remains

However, as with any developing technology, regulatory circumstances are a major consideration. While the International Maritime Organisation has made a strategic decision to integrate new and advancing technologies into its regulatory framework, uncertainty remains over how USVs, and other remotely operated vessels fit the mould. “While some innovations may be in their infancy, it is important that the industry understands how to use technology such as USVs e ectively to meet and support ambitious o shore energy goals”, Mr Erland adds. Technology is being sought after by the o shore wind industry seeking sense of stability and predictability. Skilled labour looks to remain a key element in the growing scope of the o shore wind sector but until the workforce is fully in place, technology could well plug that gap.