TRANSMITTING OCEAN WIND

New design for offshore wind substations in the wings
Rikki Stancich, 9 September 2010 (Wind Energy Update)

"…Following a massive investment into new manufacturing kit in order to gear up for the pending boom in offshore wind projects, Harland & Wolff is now open for business…[A] Siemens contract will see Harland & Wolff deliver two innovative substations for the 576MW, 160 turbine Gwynt y Môr offshore wind farm…13km off the coast of North Wales. The substations will be completed by June 2012.

"The platforms have been designed using stiffened panels typical of shipbuilding and offshore structures…[T]his approach offers cost and weight savings, increased watertight integrity, structural flexibility and opens opportunities for floating, self-installing projects in the future…"

A rival and more traditional substation design. (click to enlarge)

[David McVeigh, Sales and Marketing manager, Harland & Wolff:] "The substations will utilize the latest Siemens transformers. From a construction point of view, the substation structure will be…more typical of a watertight marine structure or vessel, rather than clad beam and column structure…[T]his is lighter, stronger, and more durable…[and] more adaptable throughout the life of the structure…"

[David McVeigh, Sales and Marketing manager, Harland & Wolff:] "Harland and Wolff have a lot of experience in the offshore oil and gas sector…A huge investment in new plant and equipment that is particularly suited to the offshore wind industry, has dramatically reduced costs…[U]sing the appropriate tools for the job has enabled us to reduce the welding man-hours to one-third of what they were…[W]e produce bespoke offshore modules for the same price, and in the same timeframe, as modular units offered by some competitors…"

A big offshore project engages an army of providers. (click to enlarge)

[David McVeigh, Sales and Marketing manager, Harland & Wolff:] "Safety is of paramount importance…The design of the module is to the very latest DNV and UK HSE standards…We are working closely with the operator to ensure O&M input is incorporated at the earliest stage possible in the design process…For the last eight months we have been speaking with…developers, O&M contractors, installation contractors and offshore wind farm operators in order to gain an understanding of the problems they experienced with substations…[and] we have designed a transformer platform that addresses a considerable number of the issues…The driver for this is not simply to be concerned with reducing manufacturing costs alone, but thinking about the whole substation life cycle…"

[David McVeigh, Sales and Marketing manager, Harland & Wolff:] "We all understand the large number of offshore wind farms to be developed in order to meet the Government’s targets…With our existing facilities we are capable of producing a great number of jackets and substations every year. Almost uniquely, with the large amount of hard starting ground adjacent to our docks and quaysides, we can build and hold the jackets and just-in-time deliver them…"