DNV, the independent energy expert and assurance provider, recently launched a new Joint Industry Project (JIP) called Concrete FLOW that will optimize requirements for concrete floaters specifically tailored for floating offshore wind farms.
At the kick-off meeting, 14 key partners committed to redefining global standards for the production of concrete floaters in the offshore wind industry. The collaborative results are earmarked for incorporation into future DNV service documents.
Concrete FLOW aims to drive innovation by uniting key industry players.
“This initiative symbolizes a collaborative effort to set new standards and challenge existing ones, laying the groundwork for the future of floating wind,” said Kim Sandgaard-Mørk, executive vice president for renewables certification at DNV.
Concrete floaters pose special challenges, such as leak proofness, which govern the design of the floater. Balancing controlled cracking of concrete structures to maintain floatability and ensure long-term durability is crucial. DNV sees concrete floaters as a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to steel floaters, particularly for larger turbines.
Notably, Concrete FLOW is the first JIP dedicated to concrete floaters for floating offshore wind. Its objective is to customize standard requirements for industrial production to enable serial production. The goal is to reduce costs and streamline the manufacturing process.
The project encompasses concrete structures, geotechnics, and floating technologies and welcomes additional partners.
“While the DNV-ST-0119 standard includes design provisions for concrete floaters, some requirements draw from oil and gas experience and others from bottom fixed wind farms; they need refinement and optimization to be used specifically for floating offshore wind developments,” said Stefan Baars, renewables certification head of section for concrete structures & geotechnics at DNV.
The team anticipates conducting activities over one and half to two years, gathering more support offers to solidify the JIP’s scope and impact.
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