GBM Works and Ecowende have joined forces to pioneer a groundbreaking installation technique for the Hollandse Kust West (HKW) 6 offshore wind farm, signing a contract for the installation of three monopiles using GBM Works' Vibrojet noise-reducing technology.
The Vibrojet technology combines vibrations on the top of the monopile with GBM's jetting technology inside the structure, reducing resistance and making the installation process more efficient and silent, thereby minimizing the impact on marine life.
Ecowende, a joint venture between Shell and Eneco, expressed its commitment to innovative techniques and ecological sustainability by selecting Vibrojet for the demonstration in three selected locations within the wind farm.
“We are enthusiastic to work closely together with GBM to develop its fixed Vibrojet system for actual use during the construction of our wind farm,” said Arnold Reijnders, Ecowende's engineering manager. “We hope we are able to deliver an important contribution in making the next generation wind farms more eco-friendly.”
In addition to its ecological benefits, the Vibrojet system offers several operational advantages. Compared to the traditional impact hammer, it allows for quicker installation of monopiles and enables them to be installed deeper.
“Hollandse Kust West represents our entrance to the offshore installation market, and we are proud to contribute to Ecowende on its ecological ambitions,” said Marcelo Werneck, GBM Works' business development director. “By installing the three monopiles, we will prove the value of Vibrojet installations, an important step towards broader application of the technology on future projects.”
The contract scope includes engineering and manufacturing of the jetting system, as well as offshore support during installations. GBM Works is collaborating closely with Ecowende's partners Van Oord, SIF, and Ramboll to execute the project successfully.
In addition to the HKW contract, Ecowende is supporting GBM Works in the Simple 3 development project, providing funds and the opportunity to test the technology in HKW. The Simple 3 project aims to test the Vibrojet technology in a pilot-scale offshore setting, with noise measurements to quantify sustainability benefits, taking the technology to readiness level 7.
“The Simple 3 project has been designed to allow the Vibrojet technology to be assessed in an offshore setting closely resembling conditions at HKW, intending to mitigate operational risks during the commercial installations,” added Werneck.
