Hello, this is Niiake from Rera Tech Inc.. At Rera Tech Inc., I am in charge of wind condition simulation and analysis.
The new school year has begun. Even at Kobe University, where Relatec's headquarters is located, we can feel the excitement of the new school year. The freshness of the students who seem to be new students is endearing. I would like to work hard again this year, cherishing my spirit of challenge, so that I don't lose to the energetic students.
Now, the topic I would like to introduce to you today is "Offshore wind turbine construction and types of vessels."
The news that an offshore wind turbine was in operation off the coast of Akita Prefecture, announced earlier this year, attracted a lot of attention. Several of my acquaintances in the industry went to see it, and they praised it, saying, "It was so grandiose, I was amazed," and "It changed my perspective on wind turbines."
The Akita offshore wind turbine project will cost approximately 1,000 billion yen, and the construction period, including onshore and offshore, will take approximately three years.1)This is a fairly large-scale power generation project.
How are offshore wind turbines of this scale constructed? This has really caught my attention. In this column, I would like to introduce the construction of offshore wind turbines and the characteristics of the ships involved in the construction in two parts.
Until offshore wind power generation equipment can be installed
The general procedure for constructing offshore wind turbines involves transporting components such as the turbine blades and towers from port and then carrying out construction work out at sea.
Specifically, after the foundations are delivered and installed, the wind turbine blades, nacelle (drive unit), and tower are transported to the ocean and installed on the foundations. For large-scale offshore wind farms, construction will take several years.
Source: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Ports and Harbors https://www.mlit.go.jp/kowan/content/001475812.pdf (Referenced 2023-4-26)
All of this work takes place at sea, requiring a range of specialised vessels to take on the roles of construction vehicles such as cranes and trucks as in land-based construction.
Approximately 10 types of vessels are listed as being involved in the construction and operation of offshore wind turbines.2).
ColumnSecond partLet's take a closer look at some of these ships and their roles.
(Written by Erika Shintaku)
1) Akita Offshore Wind Power Co., Ltd. https://aow.co.jp/jp/
2) Journal of the Japan Wind Energy Society vol.44 No.4 2020 Offshore Wind Turbine Installation Work and Ships p.595-599
As wind condition consultants, Rera Tech Inc. will carry out optimal wind condition surveys that combine "observation" and "estimation" for wind power generation.