Heerema installs first wind turbine using novel RNA method

Wind Energy – Arcadis Ost 1

The first out of the 27 Vestas V174 – 9.5MW turbines has successfully been installed at the Arcadis Ost 1 wind farm.

Using a unique floating installation method, Parkwind, together with Heerema Marine Contractors and Vestas, marks an industry premiere in wind turbine installation on commercial scale.

The plan to use a floating installation method for Arcadis Ost 1 was announced for the first time in November 2019. Today, after almost 3 years of development and engineering, we have successfully executed the floating installation of the first Arcadis Ost 1 turbine.

This innovative method has two main advantages. The first is zero seabed interaction especially important in areas of significant water depth or challenging soil conditions. The second advantage is a shorter installation cycle.

To speed up the installation process, assembly and lifting operations are happening in parallel. One of Thialf’s two main cranes lifts the pre-assembled WTG-tower to the foundation, whilst the second main crane is used to pre-assemble the WTG in parallel.

For the latter, Heerema developed a method where the Rotor Nacelle Assembly (RNA) lift takes place on a so-called ‘support’ tower on board the crane vessel. The support tower provides a stable platform to allow a fast and secure assembly of the nacelle and the blades. Once pre-assembled the complete RNA is lifted as one piece onto the WTG tower in only one lift.

The pre-assembly process on board the Thialf ensures full control thereby guaranteeing a safe and highly reliable installation environment. The reduced number of lifts between the vessel and the structure eliminates key risks of the floating installation. Vestas has delivered RNA lift-feasible components by developing new tools to support the offshore floating installation.

Eric Antoons, co-CEO of Parkwind commented: “The industry often talks about innovation, and this is what our teams at Parkwind mean by it. Together with our partners, we create solutions for challenges that seemed impossible to overcome in the past. The floating installation method is the perfect example of what it takes to set new industry standards, and new standards mean new opportunities for offshore wind globally. Arcadis Ost 1 will soon be one of the world’s most advanced wind farms, thanks to its design, components, and installation method, all brought together by exceptionally talented teams. Now, with the first turbine installed, we trust that the project teams will successfully install the remaining 26 turbines.”

The Arcadis Ost 1 is a 257 MW wind farm developed by Parkwind, located in the German territorial waters of the Baltic Sea, northeast of the island of Rügen.

Original Source: https://ocean-energyresources.com/2022/11/25/heerema-installs-first-wind-turbine-using-novel-rna-method/