Orsted has announced the use of a new recyclable material for monopile covers on its Hornsea 3 Offshore Wind Farm in the UK, marking a significant step towards reducing waste in offshore wind construction.
The decision follows extensive testing in collaboration with suppliers TME and CS Wind Offshore. The newly approved recyclable tarpaulin material will be used for monopile covers, which are essential for protecting the foundation and cables of offshore wind turbines during construction. Orsted estimates that using this material will prevent an average of 10 tonnes of landfill waste per offshore project.
Monopile covers, also known as TP covers, are designed to shield monopiles from the elements during installation. Orsted’s efforts to find a more sustainable solution began with testing various industrial recycling options for the traditional materials used in covers. After none of these options met the required standards, TME proposed a new recyclable material, which has since passed both a physical outdoor endurance test at CS Wind Offshore’s facilities and subsequent laboratory testing.
The recyclable material will be deployed for the first time during the construction of Hornsea 3, the world’s largest offshore wind farm. Once construction is completed, the material can be recycled, eliminating the need for new materials.
Rasmus Uldahl Kjeldsen, Orsted’s Head of Construction Sustainability, highlighted the importance of innovation in sustainability, stating: “At Orsted, we believe protecting our environment can go hand in hand with innovation and efficiency. This collaboration with TME and CS Wind Offshore shows that designing out waste from the beginning is possible and can be done without compromising quality or increasing cost.”
Jess Westcott, Project Director for Hornsea 3, added: “One of our ambitions on Hornsea 3 is to be the greenest offshore wind farm yet. Using monopile covers that can be recycled is another positive step on that sustainability journey.”
Hornsea 3, located 160 kilometers off the Yorkshire coast, will contribute to Orsted’s Hornsea cluster, which, once completed, will have a total capacity of more than 5GW, making it the world’s largest operating offshore wind zone.
