Ampelmann, a Dutch offshore access provider, has announced that it will deploy a second E1000 gangway to aid in the construction of Equinor's Hywind Tampen, which is Norway's first commercial floating wind farm. The wind farm, which is the world's largest, is located approximately 140 kilometres offshore the Norwegian coast. Floating wind farms, like Hywind Tampen, require motion-compensated systems that can provide consistent and reliable offshore access, said Ampelmann.
The E1000 is Ampelmann's access solution for conditions like those at the floating wind farm since the gangway is ideally suited for work in variable sea conditions and to compensate for the divergent motions of vessels and floating turbines. The gangway can withstand waves up to 4.5 metres, and can convert into a crane within minutes, with a lifting capacity of one tonne.
“The coming years will see the explosive growth of the floating wind market in Europe, Asia and the USA, and with this project we are gaining invaluable expertise in the field. We want to contribute our knowledge and experience as a global offshore access provider to this sector as it develops,” said Maichel van Nauta Lemke, Ampelmann's Business Developer for floating wind.
The Hywind Tampen floating offshore wind project is the first wind farm that will supply electricity to oil and gas platforms. The project has a system capacity of 88 MW and is expected to meet 35 per cent of the electrical power demand on the Gullfaks and Snorre fields. This will cut CO2 emissions from the fields by about 200,000 tonnes per year, according to Equinor.
“The Hywind Tampen project is a landmark achievement in the renewable energy sector, and we are proud to be playing a role in its development,” said Jan van der Tempel, founder and CEO of Ampelmann. “As a company, we are committed to contributing to the transition towards sustainable energy sources, and the Hywind Tampen project is a perfect example of how offshore wind can be used to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide a reliable source of energy to oil and gas platforms.”
See also: Ørsted and Acciona to Collaborate on Floating Offshore Wind Foundations
The deployment of the second E1000 gangway to the wind farm is a significant milestone in the project's development, and it underlines the importance of reliable offshore access systems in the growth of the floating wind market. With the global demand for renewable energy increasing, the floating wind market is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years, and Ampelmann's expertise and experience will be critical in the sector's growth.
