Gravitas Brochure

GRAVITAS
HOCHTIEF / C O S TA I N
OFFSHORE
/ ARUP
Simple solution No heavy lifting No special vessels Minimised seabed preparation
www.gravitasoffshore.com
Wind Farm Zones
Selecting the right foundation solution Optimum foundation selection is a function of the variables of water depth, turbine size and wind farm location conditions. As the water depth and turbine size increase, the applicability of steel monopiles becomes limited. This limit is further constrained by the harsher installation and operating conditions that prevail as the wind farm locations become progressively further offshore. There is also a need to achieve greater flexibility through the supply chain that can increase the markets capacity and avoid dependency on large scale steel tubulars. Offshore wind farms are capital intensive projects and turbine foundations represent a quarter of their total delivery cost. The renewable industry is looking for creative yet dependable new approaches to drive down this cost, whilst optimising installation flexibility and facilitating improved operation and maintenance. GRAVITAS responds with an optimal solution to meet these challenges. Following a research and development programme we offer a self-installing turbine foundation that can be mass produced in construction facilities located in ports to suit rapid deployment to the UK wind farms.
Dredging Licence Round 1 Wind farm Lease Round 2 Wind farm Lease Round 3 Zone Scottish Wind farm Agreement Pentland Firth Area of Interest UK 12 nm Limit
Crown - with reference to Marine all Activity Map
GRAVITAS Foundations
GRAVITAS foundations are able to be floated and towed out to deeper water wind farms and installed without specialist marine equipment with minimal seabed preparation.
Courtesy of Siemens
Context The UKs major programme towards sustainable, resilient, low carbon energy generation is pushing forward the next stages of offshore renewables. For the extensions to Round 2 and Round 3 in deeper waters a new reliable approach is needed for offshore wind turbine foundations. GRAVITAS solution provides this.
Why choose GRAVITAS?
Our GRAVITAS solution is self-buoyant, requires no specialist onshore or offshore marine equipment to construct, lift or install and requires minimal seabed preparation.
GRAVITAS foundations can be successfully deployed at all upcoming wind farms around the UK coast. For example, more than 80% of the Round 3 sites are in water depths over 25m, where concrete foundations may prove the best solution. Our GRAVITAS foundation combines this with self-installation to avoid the need for specialist and expensive marine equipment.
GRAVITAS foundation tank testing
Simplicity
3
Certainty of delivery, increased programme opportunities with less constraints. Foundation installed directly on the seabed, whenever possible, to avoid the need to remove or disturb existing surface sediments. Reduced supply chain and weather constraints, improved cost certainty, increased supplier base for certainty of delivery and lower costs. Can be re-located, re-powered, and removed at the end of its operational life. Principal Data Key figures for 35m water depth, Central North Sea environmental conditions and 6MW can be found below: Hub height above LAT Outer diameter, caisson Outer diameter, top of shaft Concrete volume Steel reinforcement 90m 31m 6.5m 2,800m 890 tonne
Minimal seabed preparation Self-floating without heavy lifting or specialist towing or installation vessels Flexibility
GRAVITAS Foundation Features and Benefits
Controlled deployment of a GRAVITAS foundation
Foundation Design
Reinforced concrete, non-piled, ballasted gravity structure Caters for water depths up to 60m Suits larger turbine sizes up to an anticipated 8MW The design minimises the need for seabed preparation by accommodating existing seabed slopes and surface sediments The design incorporates skirt variants to suit seabed soil conditions Designs can be standardised across individual or multiple sites to enable cost optimisation Collar design for the turbine mast connection can accommodate ~2 vertical alignment tolerance Offers life cycle carbon footprint benefits through material selection Unlike many alternatives, the design offers the potential to repower without foundation replacement
GRAVITAS Foundation Features and Benefits (continued)
Construction / Fabrication
The concrete foundations are configured for rapid construction using readily available construction skills Construction is an onshore activity and tailored for ease of subsequent installation Construction does not require deep water (10m draft) Construction can be sited at ports well placed to suit wind farm locations, with discussions ongoing with selected ports Concrete costs are less dependent on commodities with high price volatility, such as steel Concrete gravity foundations do not use large scale steel tubulars, therefore they will increase the markets capacity to deliver turbine foundations, release supply chain constraints and increase competition A dedicated mass construction facility will deliver productivity benefits and reduce costs Health and safety considerations will be integral to the development of the new construction facilities and foundations constructed in them, using well proven safe construction expertise
Installation
Foundations are self-buoyant for ease of deployment to the wind farm location Standard tugs that are readily available and abundant are used to install the foundations Sea-borne noise and vibration is minimised so installation can progress year-round Reduced weather dependency significantly extends the installation season giving security of programme Installation will be achieved by lowering through the controlled influx of water, followed by sand/aggregate ballasting
Swedens largest offshore wind energy farm, Lillgrund, required 49 large concrete foundations weighing around 1,400 tonnes each. These were constructed at a facility in Poland and transported by sea to their required location. The concrete foundations were placed very precisely onto their stone bases located in water up to 11 metres.
Operation
Concrete has low maintenance requirements being inherently durable in the marine environment Scour protection will be designed for minimum maintenance over the design life of the windfarm The durability of the concrete gravity foundations could allow developers to re-deploy them in different locations with new turbines fitted Concrete gravity foundations can be completely removed for recycling at the end of their useful life
Environmental Impact
Footprint of foundation occupies < 0.1% of the seabed Lower seabed impact than other solutions as little or no seabed preparation required No piling avoids sonic effects on marine mammals and fish. WTG underwater noise transmission also reduced Life-cycle carbon footprint. Similar CO emissions to steel foundations. Use of re-cycled material in rebar and concrete
<< Building on existing experience of successfully installing a 600m long breakwater in the Pacific Ocean that was made out of 12 slipformed 25,000t caisson structures fabricated in a purpose built dry dock. < Safe working practices are implemented throughout projects from design to construction and installation.
Partnership GRAVITAS Offshore is a partnership between Hochtief, Costain and Arup, founded on long term relationships from previous projects and combines unique capabilities to serve the growing energy sector. Hochtiefs strong marine competence, Costains civil engineering and marine construction experience and Arups offshore marine and concrete structure design expertise are the ideal basis to offer a unique and differentiated solution that fully integrates the design, construction, offshore installation and decommissioning of foundations for offshore wind farms.
www.gravitasoffshore.com
Gordon Jackson T +44 (0) 207 755 2289 E [email protected]
Colin Duff T +44 (0) 1628 842444 E [email protected]
Ian Taylor T +44 (0) 7585907415 E [email protected]

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What are the challenges with current foundation solutions for offshore wind farms?

What are the proposed solutions from GRAVITAS?

GRAVITAS

Simple solution No heavy lifting No special vessels Minimised seabed preparation

Wind Farm Zones

Crown - with reference to Marine all Activity Map

Why choose GRAVITAS?

GRAVITAS Foundation Features and Benefits

Controlled deployment of a GRAVITAS foundation

GRAVITAS Foundation Features and Benefits (continued)

Gordon Jackson T +44 (0) 207 755 2289 E [email protected]

Colin Duff T +44 (0) 1628 842444 E [email protected]

Ian Taylor T +44 (0) 7585907415 E [email protected]

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