Offshore Logistics: Scenario Planning and Installation Modeling of Floating Offshore Wind Projects

Abstract

The offshore installation, logistics, and commissioning activities are currently estimated to make up 20% to 30% of the capital expenditures (CAPEX) of offshore wind projects. Technical and geographical factors affect both the CAPEX during construction and the installation schedule, such as a lack of supporting port infrastructure, the availability of specialized vessels, the distance from the wind farm to shore, accessibility, water depths, and seabed conditions. In addition, there are significant risks during the construction phase, such as uncertain durations due to the sensitivity of marine operations to weather conditions. Identifying supply chain requirements is critical in the early stages of project planning in order to avoid time delays and cost overruns during the transport and installation process. This study explores and analyzes the logistic requirements and installation methods of a floating offshore wind (FOW) technology. Using an advanced forecasting and decision support tool, realistic case scenarios are simulated at a variety of potential sites for FOW deployment across the UK. Technical risks associated with installation strategies are identified and classified. The results provide a comparison of key installation performance indicators of each case scenario (e.g., installation rate per wind turbine, weather downtime). This study is of interest to researchers, offshore wind project developers, service providers, and other key stakeholders seeking to optimize planning and logistics to drive down CAPEX costs, reduce the construction downtime, and minimize risks during marine operations.