The Glosten Associates Announces Floating Offshore Wind Turbine Demonstrator Contract Award
SEATTLE, WA (USA) – March 25, 2013 – The Glosten Associates, Inc. (Glosten) announces it has been awarded a contract from the UK–based Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) for the engineering phase of the floating offshore wind turbine demonstrator using the PelaStar tension leg platform (TLP) foundation system. The US$6 million, 12 month contract will complete the Front End Engineering Design (FEED) in advance of construction and deployment of a 6 MW demonstration unit off the south coast of the UK as early as 2015. Upon successful completion of the FEED, the ETI is prepared to commit up to US$31 million to the demonstration project financing package – with ETI financing aimed at accelerating development and deployment of the technologies that can reach the UK’s vast deepwater wind resources and attain the low cost of energy targets required for an economically viable system.
The demonstration project will showcase key PelaStar technology developments, crucial to achieve cost-effective, utility scale installations. These include a new five-arm design that enhances system reliability for the demonstration project; synthetic fiber tendons developed primarily for optimal performance while minimizing material and installation cost; and integration of large, next-generation offshore wind turbines as the keystone to effective utilization of the wind resource.
Glosten brings a world-class team to the demonstration project. The fast-growing team includes: Alstom Renovables España S.L. (Barcelona, Spain) to provide their cutting-edge Haliade 150-6MW offshore wind turbine; Harland and Wolff (Belfast, Ireland) to build the PelaStar foundation; Dockwise (Breda, The Netherlands) to provide the offshore logistics; Cefas (Suffolk, UK) leading the environmental review; NREL (Golden CO, USA) providing expertise in system modeling, instrumentation and test planning; with project certification by Det Norske Veritas (DNV) (Hovik, Norway); and with comprehensive scale model testing by MARIN (Wageningen, The Netherlands).
“We are excited to be selected by ETI for this project. Our well-integrated team will deliver comprehensive, high-end engineering for this platform and its installation, leading us to the successful demonstration of this multi-megawatt floating turbine,” William Hurley, PelaStar Director and Glosten program lead, commented. Glosten President, Jay Edgar adds: “We are proud to bring PelaStar technology to this partnership with ETI. They recognize the technical rigor required of successful offshore programs at this scale and I am confident their clear, long-term commitment to deepwater wind will advance the right technologies to deliver this incredible wind energy resource to consumers in the UK and throughout the world.”
About The Glosten Associates
The Glosten Associates is an engineering consultancy based in Seattle, Washington. For over 50 years, Glosten has been recognized throughout the marine community for innovative solutions, integrating cutting-edge analysis with practical, experience-based design. Glosten brings the wind power industry a unique capability to provide complete offshore solutions – balancing the development of optimal designs requiring optimal motions and advanced structural systems with the realities of construction, operations, and maintenance logistics in a harsh and competitive offshore environment.
For more information on the PelaStar technology please contact:
Charles Nordstrom, PE
Technology Development
Tel: 206-624-7850
Email: cjnordstrom@glosten.com
For more information on The Glosten Associates please contact:
Peggy Noethlich
Marketing Director
Tel: 206-624-7850
Email: plnoethlich@glosten.com
About Energy Technologies Institute
The Energy Technologies Institute is a public-private partnership between global industries – BP, Caterpillar, EDF, E.ON, Rolls-Royce and Shell – and the UK Government. Their mission is to accelerate the development, demonstration, and eventual commercial deployment of a focused portfolio of energy technologies, which will increase energy efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help achieve energy and climate change goals.
For additional information, please contact:
Richard Robinson
Media Relations Manager
Tel: 01509 202026
E-Mail: richard.robinson@eti.co.uk