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BRUNEL, a floating support structure for wind turbines, is designed to support a 15 MW turbine. The substructure is a column-stabilized unit that has three columns joined by horizontal submerged pontoons. Two inclined towers support the rotor-nacelle assembly. They meet at a distance below nacelle interface. To weather vane the structure, it will have a single point of mooring via a turret. This modular design is a breakthrough in its field. It can be used to produce serial or automated production within the existing global supply chains.
Fred.’s concept is shown by the certification. The floating support structure for Olsen 1848’s wind turbine, BRUNEL, was designed by DNV. DNV has certified the BRUNEL concept and is now ready to develop it further.
Kim Sandgaard Mork, Executive Vice President Renewables Certification at DNV, stated that “We are pleased to see the Norwegian government’s announcement on 11 May 2022 to build 30 GW offshore wind capacity by 2040.” Norwegian wind energy projects must have access to reliable and trusted risk management tools such as certification in order to achieve this growth. Certification is especially valuable for floating offshore wind farms in order to secure project financing and demonstrate operational application.
“As countries race to reduce their CO2 emissions and decarbonize their energy systems in the race for net-zero targets, floating wind projects are becoming more popular. Norway is a leading country in this field and we anticipate further tenders in the future. DNV’s Norway’s local certification team, based in Hovik, is expanding to support Norway’s advancements in offshore wind,” explains Sille Grjotheim (Director and Country Manager Norway for Renewables Certification, DNV).
Anne Lene Haukanes Hopstad is DNV’s Project Manager. She states, “Obtaining the Statement of Feasibility for BRUNEL is an important first step. This was a fascinating project and we look forward to continuing certification of BRUNEL during the next phases. Safety is a key consideration for floating offshore wind projects, both in terms of project financing and operational applications”.
Geir Grimsrud is Chief Technical Officer at Fred. Olsen 1848 explains, “For BRUNEL the Statement of Feasibility (for BRUNEL) is a crucial milestone in documenting technological maturity of floating foundation technology. DNV was involved at an early stage of the project to ensure that certification was achieved. We are grateful to DNV for their prompt and efficient process. We look forward to the continuation of the process with DNV on BRUNEL”.
Sofie Olsen Jebsen, Chief Executive Officer, Fred. Olsen 1848 says “Floating offshore wind has enormous potential.” It is crucial to find sustainable solutions that are both commercially viable and technologically superior in order to drive the industry forward. BRUNEL has responded to these challenges and achieved a Statement of Feasibility (DNV) in order to continue our efforts to lower LCOE and allow floating wind on a large scale.
