Floating wind could transform offshore energy but companies need to work together and embrace innovation – Professional Engineering

A floating wind turbine is installed in France (Credit: Shutterstock)

According to the Global Wind Energy Councils Global Wind Report 2024, installed offshore wind capacity surpassed 75GW at the end of 2023. But with ambitious targets set for 2050, the industry must look at ways to speed up planning and construction, and fine-tune operations and maintenance of existing assets.

To reach the climate goals of the Paris Agreement, it is estimated that we will need to add 70GW of offshore wind capacity every year between 2030 and 2050 the equivalent of installing between 3,000 and 5,000 turbines every year for 20 years, based on forecast turbine sizes.

Leaders from nine European countries met at the North Sea Summit in 2023 to agree offshore wind targets of 120GW by 2030 and 300GW by 2050, a considerable increase on the installed capacity of approximately 30GW.

It will be a significant challenge for the industry to meet these ambitious targets. As well as scaling up the capacity to design, manufacture and install wind farms of increasing size and complexity, the industry will need to embrace greater levels of standardisation and closer collaboration. Existing assets will need inspection and maintenance regimes which are increasingly robust, efficient and cost-effective, to extend their lifespans or provide opportunities for repowering.

Floating wind is widely expected to be a significant contributor to offshore wind ambitions. Although it currently represents less than 0.5GW of installed capacity, industry sources estimate that 5-8 GW could be online by 2030, and 250GW by 2050. The industry is navigating a steep learning curve, but the performance of numerous demonstrator sites shows huge potential.

According to the Celtic Sea Blueprint, which was published earlier this year, the first three floating wind farms due to be commissioned in the Celtic Sea will generate enough electricity to power more than 4m homes, while supporting over 5,000 new jobs. Local ports and infrastructure will play a key role by providing much-needed manufacturing, storage and assembly of components, as well as support facilities and expertise.

Some key issues will need to be addressed for floating wind farms to meet their huge potential, however. First, it is essential to develop a thorough understanding of site conditions as soon as possible when exploring floating engineering concepts and assessing site feasibility. Floating wind farms are increasingly further from shore than their fixed bottom counterparts, which may introduce unfamiliar seabed conditions and environmental factors that must be assessed. Detailed site characterisation is therefore essential to inform designs that will be reliable, cost-effective and risk mitigated.

Second, cross-industry collaboration will be necessary to accelerate build-out. The floating wind sector is young and has much to learn, so its future will depend on shared goals and a collective desire to succeed. This will involve the combined efforts of a wide stakeholder network, with valuable expertise from both within and beyond the industry. It will also involve greater transparency and trust, with partnerships and alliances becoming increasingly important as each stakeholder co-depends on each other for expertise and support.

Finally, the industry should embrace new technologies and more innovative ways of working. A wide range of floating concepts are currently being explored, and while it is too early to say which designs will reach commercial scalability, they all seek to improve the reach and feasibility of offshore wind.

Disruptive but complementary technologies involving remote and autonomous assets or artificial intelligence will all play a vital role but human expertise will remain the primary catalyst for success, and there are huge opportunities to overcome engineering hurdles and reduce costs via academic research, joint industry projects, transferring expertise from other industries and encouraging young professionals to join the industry.

Technological progress since the first wind farm came online in 1991 has surpassed all expectations, but wind farms are sadly not build to last forever. The earliest wind farms were built to last 10-15 years, whilst turbines constructed more recently are engineered to operate for a longer lifespan, typically 30-40 years with adequate maintenance.

As many as 20,000 wind turbines across Europe could reach the end of their originally planned service life between 2030 and 2040, according to research from the University of Strathclyde.

As well as exploring the new opportunities offered by floating wind, the industry needs to maximise the use of existing assets. It can extend the lifespan of ageing wind farms through smarter inspection and maintenance regimes, but only if they are implemented consistently and carefully. This approach will play a critical role in maintaining operational capacity until newer assets come online. Operators recognise the importance of investing in more comprehensive maintenance programmes to ensure that their wind farms can continue generating for as long as possible, maximising energy outputs and returns on investment.

Achieving our green energy ambitions in the years ahead will not just be about scale it must also be about sustainability. By growing the floating sector, enabling closer collaboration, fostering innovation and maintaining a balance between new and existing assets, we can propel the offshore wind industry toward its targets. Lets harness the winds of change and work towards a cleaner, brighter future one where offshore wind plays a pivotal role in achieving net zero by 2050.

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Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

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Floating wind could transform offshore energy but companies need to work together and embrace innovation - Professional Engineering