Norwegians Developing Monopile Foundation for 100-Metre Depths

Norway’s Entrion Wind and Techano AS have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) through which Techano AS will join the ongoing development and test project planned to take place in Kristiansand, Norway for the patent-pending fully restrained platform (FRP) offshore wind foundation technology said to extend the operating depth of the monopile technology to up to 100 metres.

Under the MoU, the two companies will jointly cooperate on engineering, procurement, construction, and installation (EPCI) associated with developing and testing the top mooring assembly (TMA) for tensioning and connecting the mooring system to the FRP monopile.

”Entrion Wind is very pleased to welcome Techano as a partner in the ongoing demonstration projects as well as a strategic partner with local presence in Kristiansand. Techano’s expertise, history and strategy as a major EPCI supplier to offshore industries makes the company a preferred strategic partner for Entrion Wind,” said Eivind Johnsen, CEO of Entrion Wind.

Subject to the completion of the TMA project and technical findings, Techano AS may assist in the overall planning and detailed design of an FRP demonstrator project and evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of local TMA and FRP monopile fabrication capability and capacity.

”Techano welcomes Entrion Wind to a growing cluster of offshore technology companies located in Kristiansand and is excited to work with the prospects of the offshore wind industry and new innovative technological solutions,” said Nils Vidar Stray, CEO of Techano, a company specializing in advanced load handling and lifting equipment.

According to Entrion Wind, the FRP monopile concept combines fixed and floating platform technologies for applications in up to 100 metres of water depth. The foundation’s main components include a monopile with an air-can (AC) in one piece, a transition piece with a load ring, and a mooring system which can either be taut moorings with pile anchors or taut moorings with suction piles.

Entrion Wind conducted a proof of concept study for the FRP monopile in 2020. The project modeled various FPR monopile configurations in 40-metres to 100-metre water depths hosting a 10 MW turbine weighing 800 metric tons above the transition piece (TP).

The company is currently conducting, together with its mooring, turbine, and fabrication partners, a feasibility study at between 35-metre and 85-metre water depths for a project offshore Massachusetts.

The goal of the study is to assess whether the concept works for a specific site, estimate impacts on the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) from Capex and Opex, and identify and evaluate project risks and opportunities.

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