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Good offshore wind solutions wanted
Statkraft is participating in an international joint venture to develop new technological solutions for offshore wind energy. A competition to ease access to offshore wind farms has now been announced. The goal is to cut major costs during challenging offshore operations.
The submission deadline is 26 November.
Read more about the competition here: www.carbontrust.co.uk/access
The Offshore Wind Accelerator programme is looking for the world’s best solutions for the safe transport of personnel and equipment between vessels and offshore wind farm. The operations will take place as far as 300 kilometres from shore, in waves up to three metres. The goal is to improve the profitability of offshore wind farm operations by a total of three billion pounds, or NOK 28 billion.
“The major wind energy projects being planned in the UK will require facilities and vessels able to handle far tougher weather conditions than what they currently do, as it will be costly and challenging to carry out operations and maintenance far off at sea. As a result, we depend on a significant leap in technology,” says Olav Hetland, director of offshore wind energy in Statkraft.
The programme is looking for suggestions for new transport systems, vessels and systems for picking up and launching vessels from permanent platforms and mother ships. The competition is open to all, and there is no requirement of having a connection to the win energy industry, or that the solution is new. The winners will receive 100,000 pounds towards concept development and the possibility of further financing.
The competition is hosted by the Offshore Wind Accelerator programme and managed by Carbon Trust. This is a non-profit enterprise established by the British government to contribute to the development of a UK low-emission economy. Statkraft is an active participant in the programme, and is, together with seven other companies, one of the key financers.