New partnership on standard solutions for wind industry

Thursday, December 14 2023

Wind Energy – Standardisation Transportation

Building on a successful partnership on tower feet and lifting guidelines, Siemens Gamesa and Vestas – with Energy Cluster Denmark as facilitator – have signed a new partnership agreement to increase standardisation in the wind industry.

Initially, the parties will standardise tower transportation equipment.

Currently, whenever a wind turbine tower is shipped out for offshore installation, the manufacturer welds a box onto the installation vessel to which the tower is then clamped. The process is costly in terms of tons of iron and labour on the quayside.

Once installation offshore is completed, all the equipment is removed from the vessel, which is again costly in terms of hours, money and the green transition. Jesper Møller, Chief Engineer, Offshore Execution at Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, explains. He has just signed a partnership agreement with the industry competitor Vestas – an agreement that, among other things, is about standardising equipment currently unique to each of these manufacturers.

“In 2027, there will be far too many offshore wind farm projects on the drawing board relative to the number of installation vessels available. This presents difficulties for the green transition, for us as manufacturers and indeed for our entire value and supply chain. That is why we have chosen to enter into a new partnership with Vestas to optimise the cost-intensive equipment each of our companies delivers today. Standardisation will allow us quite simply to ship out more turbine parts faster,” says Jesper Møller.

The new partnership agreement comprises a series of projects involving equipment for and the storage of huge components produced by wind turbine manufacturers.

The first project is about so-called sea fastening – fixing towers, blades and nacelles to installation vessels.