DOF delivers full range of FOW engineering and construction services

Unlike other wind power, floating offshore wind (FOW) accesses the strongest, most stable winds on earth, many kilometres from shore, in deep ocean waters. But the complexities of an FOW project currently bring a higher levelised cost of energy (LCOE), the price at which the generated electricity should be sold for the system to break even at the end of its lifetime. However, the cost will come down as the scale of these projects increases.

“Constructing an offshore wind farm is like building a factory at sea. It’s no small feat. The unit price must be reduced through further optimisation and scale,” explains Haukeland.

DOF provides state-of-the-art services for the floating offshore wind industry, from development to construction and operational support. Site assessment and engineering design are key aspects of this.

“We aim to be the leading installation contractor for floating offshore wind. This includes the inshore turbine assembly, offshore installation, cable laying and maintenance of the turbine farms,” says Haukeland. DOF owns a large fleet of vessels, which it uses to execute these tasks.

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In addition, DOF conducts studies to optimise project execution. “This service is critical, as we are assembling and installing assets the size of the Eiffel Tower in the deep ocean,” he adds.

DOF’s most recent high-profile project is Hywind Tampen, the world’s largest floating offshore wind farm. DOF worked with Aker Solutions, a global sustainable energy company, to assemble the 11 turbines, which are 300m high and 100m in diameter and have a dry weight of some 25 000 metric tons. It then installed the mooring system, towed the turbines out to sea and hooked them up to the pre-installed mooring systems.

DOF brings optimisation to FOW activities, creating efficiency gains. This lowers LCOE, making floating offshore wind energy more affordable and competitive as a renewable energy source. It also reduces project risk, encouraging investment and industry growth.

Moreover, the company has high focus on sustainability and compliance, ensuring that rules, regulations and today’s best practices are implemented to protect birdlife and the marine environment”

DOF is able to deliver this thanks to its 40 years of offshore sector experience. “Our know-how, human capital and assets are world class. Plus, our track record from Hywind Tampen speaks to our expertise,” says Haukeland.

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By 2050, floating wind is projected to generate 264 GW or 15 per cent of all offshore wind energy. This is equivalent to a wind farm more than 3 000 times the size of Hywind Tampen, or 15 000 individual turbines.

“We expect this to be a large market for us and our fleet. DOF has a global footprint that mirrors the floating offshore wind market,” explains Haukeland.

The company has 4 000 employees worldwide and offices in Angola, Australia, Brazil, Ghana, Malaysia, Norway, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, the UK and the US. It is expanding globally, with a current focus on Japan and South Korea.

“We want to increase awareness of all that DOF can offer the floating offshore wind market,” he concludes.