Dutch offshore contractor Heerema has launched a Joint Industry Project (JIP) aimed at developing comprehensive methodologies for the decommissioning of offshore wind farms, as the sector begins to approach the end-of-life phase for early installations.
The initiative, named Clearwind, will focus on the removal of wind turbine generators (WTGs) and foundations, as well as the optimisation of decommissioning logistics. The project will also evaluate regulatory frameworks, cost estimation methods, and environmental impacts associated with dismantling offshore wind infrastructure.
“With an operational lifecycle of approximately 30 years, we are now approaching a new phase in the industry: decommissioning,” Heerema said. “By 2040, in Europe alone, approximately 1,000 turbines are expected to have been decommissioned, with this number rapidly increasing to 6,000 by 2050.”
The Clearwind JIP seeks to enable offshore wind developers to plan ahead by providing a framework for robust decommissioning strategies. The project will assess existing and novel techniques for dismantling turbines and substructures and will work with a wide range of industry stakeholders—including equipment suppliers, contractors, developers, and regulators—to develop practical solutions.
Accurate capital expenditure (CAPEX) estimation will be a key element of the project, requiring analysis of factors such as regulatory compliance, port and vessel availability, equipment limitations, recycling methods, and marine environmental considerations.
“In the first phase of the JIP Clearwind, Heerema aims to identify the timelines, rules and regulations, and specify the scale of the upcoming decommissioning phase,” the company said.
The findings from the project will be used to generate guidelines and recommendations to support industry-wide best practices for the dismantling of offshore wind infrastructure.
Heerema added that its primary objective is to address the critical challenges of the decommissioning phase and to find ways to reduce uncertainties through technology integration and improved logistical planning.
