DNV GL urges joint efforts to cut offshore energy costs

DNV GL has launched Project FORCE (For Reduced Cost of Energy) to reduce the cost of offshore wind energy, according to the company.

If an integrated approach to four market-ready technologies is adopted, it is possible to realize potential savings of at least 10% of the cost of offshore wind energy, said the company.

Project FORCE was set up to explore how the idea of "integrated design" could reduce offshore wind costs when applied to the wind turbine and its supporting structure for a typical project.

Twenty-five expert engineers from disciplines including cost modelling, offshore load calculations, blade design, controller design and several others were brought together to work on the problem.

Through the combination of the four technologies (integrated design, relaxation of frequency constraints, enhanced control systems and slender, faster blades) aggregate cost savings of over €1Bn in NPV terms could be achieved over the next decade.

However, these benefits can only be unlocked if the industry changes its approach to engineering, design and procurement.

DNV GL advocates a shift towards collaborative practices in order to address the misalignment of design-risk and cost-saving reward which is currently blocking the cost-cutting power of near-market innovation.

Executive Vice President for Renewables Advisory at DNV GL – Energy, RV Ahilan commented: "The cost savings identified by the FORCE team could be exploited by industry right now. The problem is the misalignment between the design-risk of the changes needed and the cost-reduction reward delivered by those changes. While the former mostly lies with the wind turbine manufacturer, the latter benefits the complete offshore wind asset. The technology is there – we now need to smash down the commercial barriers to make it happen."

In order to remove these barriers, DNV GL believes a rapid maturation of industry practice is needed via an integrated and collaborative approach to design, engineering and procurement.

Jiangtao Wei, principal engineer at DNV GL - Energy comments: "As the Chinese offshore wind sector ramps up, the findings of Project FORCE are as timely as they are relevant. These technologies and the philosophy of a collaborative approach to offshore projects will become important themes for China as the sector develops and matures."