Offshore Construction Start

Offshore construction for the Blyth Offshore Demonstrator effectively commenced on 31 July 2017, when the first gravity-based foundation (GBF) was successfully installed onto the seabed at the project site off the Northumberland coast. EDF Energy Renewables reported that this marked the latest step in building the 41.5MW demonstrator wind farm, comprising five turbines located around 6–6.5 kilometres off Blyth, and represented the first use of the specialist “float and submerge” method for an offshore wind project. The GBFs, designed and built by Royal BAM Group in the Neptune dry dock on the River Tyne, were floated out and then submerged to rest on the prepared seabed, where they form the support structures for the turbines. [1][2][3] The installation of this first GBF is described as the first major offshore operation for the project, signalling the transition from preparatory work to active offshore construction. EDF Energy Renewables and BAM highlighted the innovative self-installing foundation technology and the significant engineering effort involved, including towing the structures downriver, ballasting them at the Port of Tyne, and then lowering them into place offshore. Following placement of all five GBFs over the subsequent weeks, specialist contractor VBMS was scheduled to begin laying the 66kV inter-array and export cables, with turbine installation to follow and first power anticipated by the end of the year. This sequence underlines that 31 July 2017 is the practical start date for offshore construction activities at the Blyth site. [1][2][3]