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Remote control maintenance
Electric remotely operated vehicles could be used to perform maintenance and repair tasks on offshore wind turbines without a single human being physically present, improving health and safety for workers by reducing the need for potentially hazardous missions conducted by crewed support vessels. Nicholas Kenny looks into developments in this area to learn more.
Out with the old
With thousands of offshore wind turbines nearing the end of their lifespan in Europe alone, a decommissioning storm is fast approaching. But with industry historically ignoring the challenge, what happens next isn’t entirely clear. Andrea Valentino speaks to Dr Antony Knights of the University of Plymouth and Dr Michaela Schratzberger at the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science to learn more.
The bigger they are
The wind power industry faces a size problem, as competition within the sector has led to a race for bigger and bigger turbines. Many executives throughout Europe are now calling for a cap on turbine sizes, looking instead for a period of standardisation to help provide stability. Martin Morris speaks with Guy Willems of WindEurope and Shashi Barla of Brinckmann to learn more about the benefits a cap could offer.
Powering progress
As the demand for wind power grows, so too does the demand on the turbines producing it. This has resulted in bigger turbines and increasingly sprawling farms, but cost has become a significant burden. One solution is to reduce the number of components and get more from less. Jonas Wahlström, head of product management, wind converters, at ABB, tells Andrew Tunnicliffe how medium-voltage converters could play a key role in addressing today’s challenges
A sea change
Offshore wind has proven its ability to deliver large amounts of green energy at a reasonable and affordable cost, playing a key role in decarbonisation worldwide, and has the potential to positively impact energy costs in both Europe and the UK, if growth targets are met. However, while high inflation and rising energy prices due to the Russian invasion have highlighted the need for green energy development, government policy and support frequently lag far behind. Nicholas Kenny speaks with Per-Erik Holsten, head of ABB Energy Industries Northern Europe, to learn more about the obstacles facing offshore wind and why it’s vital that policymakers address them swiftly and comprehensively.
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