An improved installation technique for offshore wind: Replacing grouted foundation connections with a mechanical alternative

Cedeco Contractors Ltd are conducting a feasibility study for an improved installation technique for offshore wind. The company is proposing to replace grout with a mechanical alternative as a means of securing the jacket foundation of an offshore turbine to the seabed; if successful, this will represent a step change in foundation installation techniques.

Over the past forty years grout has been the go-to method for securing offshore foundations; it's a proven technique within offshore oil and gas. However its application in offshore wind is presenting new challenges particularly in relation to the time taken and costs involved.

In summer of 2018 a leading wind developer in partnership with the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult (OREC) launched an innovation challenge looking for ways to reduce the cost of the grouting process. Cedeco's proposed approach won that challenge.

But before developing a full scale prototype for testing, the company is continuing to develop its value proposition by conducting an initial feasibility study and examining market need.

Together with the wind developer, a global engineering firm and research partner (OREC) Cedeco is going to develop, model and test its technology. It's aiming to achieve a level of pre-certification from the industry standards bodies (for example, DNV GL) before progressing to prototype development and testing. At the same time the company is planning to conduct market research within the wider community of offshore wind developers; testing its value proposition with these end users to ensure it fully meets their needs, and indeed, to ensure there is a wider end user need that needs satisfying.

Fabricating, testing and certifying a prototype of this innovative technology will require a significant level of investment (£1-2m) over a sustained period of 2-3 years. The aim of this feasibility study is to provide evidence of the technology's prospects for success and to support future investment decisions regarding a subsequent and larger project of developing and testing a prototype.