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TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION<br />
Turning up wind power<br />
Employing our expertise in jackup technologies, <strong>Keppel</strong> develops<br />
efficient and powerful offshore wind turbine installer design.<br />
Image 1: A key feature of <strong>Keppel</strong>’s OWI design is its ability to work in<br />
challenging weather conditions, especially in the presence of strong winds<br />
Global demand for primary<br />
energy will surge by 36% between<br />
2008 and 2035, according to the<br />
International Energy Agency’s<br />
latest estimates. While fossil fuels<br />
will remain the dominant source of<br />
energy, renewable energy sources<br />
will see their share in the energy<br />
mix increase.<br />
Rising in this sea of change is the<br />
demand for offshore wind energy;<br />
a low carbon emissions option for<br />
sustainable development.<br />
Earlier this year, the European<br />
Wind Energy Association reported<br />
that in 2010, 308 offshore<br />
turbines were installed in Europe,<br />
increasing installations by 51%. By<br />
26<br />
<strong>Offshore</strong><strong>Marine</strong> January – February 2011<br />
2020, it is expected global offshore<br />
wind power capacity is expected<br />
to reach 75 gigawatts (GW), with<br />
significant expansion in Europe,<br />
China and the United States.<br />
To support the expansion of<br />
offshore wind power capacity,<br />
there is a growing need for<br />
equipment and technologies<br />
for offshore wind turbine<br />
installation.<br />
<strong>Keppel</strong> <strong>Offshore</strong> & <strong>Marine</strong><br />
Technology Centre (KOMtech),<br />
<strong>Offshore</strong> Technology Development<br />
(OTD) and <strong>Keppel</strong> FELS, have<br />
developed a new and improved<br />
<strong>Offshore</strong> Wind-turbine<br />
Installer (OWI) concept based<br />
Image 2: The nacelle is skidded over an x-y track system by<br />
skid tractors<br />
on the Group’s proven jackup<br />
technologies and knowledge of<br />
offshore oil and gas operations.<br />
A key feature of <strong>Keppel</strong>’s OWI<br />
design is its ability to work in<br />
challenging weather conditions,<br />
especially in the presence of<br />
strong winds. By minimising<br />
weather-related operational<br />
downtime, <strong>Keppel</strong>’s OWI not only<br />
improves the efficiency of turbine<br />
installation but also reduces the<br />
associated costs.<br />
The <strong>Keppel</strong> OWI design can<br />
accommodate more than<br />
2.5 metres swell and install<br />
blades in a moderate gale, up to<br />
15 metres per second (m/sec).
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