OFFSHORE WIND INSTALLATION EQUIPMENT
BESPOKE MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT CRAFTED WITH EXPERIENCE FOR OFFSHORE WIND INSTALLATIONS
The global energy sector based on fossil fuel is undergoing a fast transformation: the energy transition is on its way to give a central role to clean energy by limiting the carbon footprint and the climate change. De Pretto Industrie has been a key player in the energy industry for more than one century, and with its Special Projects business unit it remains committed to keep its role also in the global energy transition.
Renewable energy can provide a central role in reducing CO2 emissions, and offshore wind, with its huge potential, is a disruptive and effective force towards a new way of generating energy. On the other hand, making offshore wind farms economically viable requires smart solutions that facilitate and reduce risks of the offshore installation campaigns. This is where the hands-on experience in the offshore industry of De Pretto Industrie’s Special Projects business unit can make the difference.
De Pretto Industrie, with its Special Projects team, supports the major EPC contractors with the supply of turnkey mechanical installation equipment complete with hydraulic and control systems. They are designed, manufactured and tested in accordance with the requirements of our clients and of their projects. Furthermore, De Pretto Industrie gives also full assistance during the integration and commissioning of its equipment both onshore and offshore. In particular, De Pretto Industrie’s installation equipment for the offshore wind installation mainly covers:
All De Pretto Industrie products are designed, developed and manufactured with in-house resources.
Moreover, if the fabrication and integration of big equipment are not suitable for road transportation, De Pretto Industrie can coordinate yards with sea access in the construction process.
MONOPILE HANDLING
One of the most common fixed foundations for offshore wind turbines are monopiles, which provide a cost-effective solution compared with other type of foundations. These tubular structures need to be transported and installed offshore using bespoke mechanical equipment and tools able to handle heavy loads safely and smoothly. What is more, the continuously growing size of the new generation monopiles and the transition from jack-up vessels to floating vessels pose new challenges to the offshore wind installation market.
De Pretto Industrie, with its extensive background in delivering bespoke mechanical systems for offshore applications, develops turnkey monopile handling equipment complete with hydraulic and control systems. The design is tailored to the specific project and vessel, and the flexible approach of the Special Projects business unit guarantees that the final solution will be a perfect fit for the client’s needs.
The mission equipment developed by De Pretto Industrie for offshore wind installations can be delivered with motion compensated features. Motion compensated installation equipment can be the turning point of faster and safer offshore installations of wind turbines and their foundations, allowing the use of floating vessels instead of jack-up vessels or making possible to operate with harsher conditions and increased flexibility.
De Pretto Industrie competences can support your monopile handling with the development of bespoke:
Pile gripper
Monopile upending hinge
Monopile lifting tool
Hydraulic shackles
Monopile upending lifting tools
Skidding system for monopiles
Motion compensated equipment
TRANSPORTATION AND INSTALLATION EQUIPMENT FOR WIND GENERATORS
In every offshore wind farm, the installation of the turbines’ foundations is followed by the transportation and installation of the wind turbines and all their components: transition piece, tower, nacelle and blades. The ever growing dimensions and cost of the offshore wind turbines and the harsh environment where they are installed make the transportation and installation more and more complex. In fact, there are heavy lifting and handling operations involved that have to be completed without risks of delays and without compromises on safety.
The need of tailor-made lifting and handling equipment for the transportation and installation of offshore wind generators’ components makes De Pretto Industrie the perfect partner. Indeed, with the extensive experience in offshore heavy lifting gained by the Special Projects business unit, De Pretto Industrie can offer a customized approach to the development of new transportation and installation equipment. The design is always developed in close collaboration with the end user of the equipment to ensure the maximum ease of use of the solution developed, which also benefits the in-house manufacturing competences. The fabrication and test of the mechanical equipment for the installation of offshore wind generators are carried out with the in-house workshop, giving to De Pretto Industrie the full control of the product development.
The typical lifting and handling equipment that De Pretto Industrie can develop for the offshore installation of wind generators is:
Nacelle lifting yoke
Blade lifting yoke
Blade handling tool
Transition piece lifting tool
Wind turbine rotor lifting tool
JACKET INSTALLATION TOOLS
When the water depth increases and the use of monopile foundations is not technically or economically feasible for the installation offshore wind turbines, it is necessary to use alternative solutions: jacket foundations and tripod foundations.
Jackets and tripods are steel structures anchored to the seabed, which need to be levelled and grouted before being used as a foundation for offshore wind turbines. Therefore, during the installation and grouting of offshore jackets, it is essential the use of jacket pile grippers. They are necessary to level the jacket to the correct position and maintain it during grouting operations.
Combining the strong knowledge of offshore and subsea applications gained by the Special Projects business unit over the years and the in-house fabrication and testing capabilities, De Pretto Industrie can design, fabricate and test turnkey pile grippers complete with hydraulic system. Our flexibility and practical experience can support the development of bespoke solutions suitable for specific projects and installation requirements. In particular, De Pretto Industrie can develop and deliver the following jacket installation tools:
Removable jacket pile gripper
Jacket levelling tool
Jacket lifting tool
FLOATING WIND
The real potential of the offshore wind can be fully unlocked when we consider also the offshore floating wind. Indeed, roughly 80% of the offshore wind resources are available where fixed foundations are not economically or technically feasible, and therefore, in order to give a substantial contribution to the energy transition, De Pretto Industrie is committed to have a central role also in this growing market.
With the Special Projects business unit, De Pretto Industrie can be the ideal partner to develop new products and solutions for a growing market that needs smart ideas able to facilitate the fabrication and industrialization of floating wind and the offshore installation activities.
The in-house design and fabrication capabilities make De Pretto Industrie able to control the whole development process of bespoke mechanical equipment and tools with a strong focus on customization.
De Pretto Industrie can support the major players in the offshore wind market with the development of turnkey:
Mooring systems for floating wind
Equipment for OWG assembly at quayside
Equipment for OWG handling and lifting at quayside
Contact directly our Special Projects business unit team.
