With offshore installations growing in size, scope and depth, the industry needs every advantage that new developments in technology can offer. The High Wind consortium is focusing on just this need. PES speaks to Johan Heiler about their latest innovation…
PES: Welcome to PES. Would you like to introduce the company and tell us a little about how you serve the wind industry?
Johan Heiler: High Wind develops new installation techniques to install offshore wind turbines at higher wind speeds. These techniques and tools are sold to the wind industry as a complete package, including design, construction, installation on the offshore cranes, certification of the new setup and training of the crane operators and lifting supervisors.
PES: And what are the particular needs of the offshore industry that demand a solution such as yours?
JH: The offshore wind industry is evolving rapidly. Turbine size is growing fast and wind parks are located further offshore in deeper water and in areas with higher wind speeds. Offshore installation vessels have been adapted to follow this trend: leg length has been increased and the vessels are able to work (sail, jack and operate) in increasing wave heights and currents. The offshore cranes and the offshore lifting operations however had seen very little improvement so far. Lifting is still done in very similar conditions as a couple of years ago. Some wind turbine manufacturers and their suppliers have developed lifting tools that allow some improvement but these have been mainly step changes. The Boom Lock which was developed by High Wind is the first giant leap.
