Atkins, which has been acting as Technical Advisor to EDF Energy Renewables for the Blyth Offshore Demonstrator wind farm, is moving into a delivery role on the project as the wind farm is now under construction.
Experts from Atkins joined the Blyth Offshore Demonstrator project team to review the designs and provide additional assurance and risk management services. Later on, the company was appointed to carry out technical assurance review services together with the EDF Energy Renewables team.
With the wind farm under construction, Atkins is now providing technical support during construction and for turbine and foundation delivery.
Fran McCord , design assurance and quality engineer for the foundation package, who was seconded from Atkins into EDF Energy in December 2015, said: “This is a novel project for the UK and for the wider industry, and it’s a very exciting one to have been involved in. Our offshore wind technical expertise, as well as our experience in oil and gas marine structures, has been important to ensuring the overall designs will work offshore by flagging modifications earlier for example, helping to save time and money.”
Faisal Razzaq , project manager in Atkins’ Energy UK & Europe business, said: “This project has been a great opportunity for Atkins to show that we can do more than just foundation design. From just a single person originally seconded into the client’s office, we now have had a large team working on this project drawing in expertise from around the Energy business. The feedback from our partners has been very positive, and the project has been a learning experience for all involved.”
The Blyth Offshore Demonstrator project will use hybrid concrete gravity base foundations, a structure more commonly found in oil and gas platforms. The foundations were designed and built by BAM-Nuttall group on the Tyne, and will be floated out to site, then sunk into position with ballast keeping the foundations in place.
The wind farm will be located approximately 6km from the coast of Northumberland producing enough electricity to power around 34,000 homes, from five MHI Vestas 8.3MW turbines.