Wet Storage of Floating Wind Structures: A Review of Requirements

Floating wind is expected to be important for the generation of green electricity. The motivation for this research is the delivery of large-scale floating wind farms which depends on the availability of construction ports and temporary wet storage is crucial for the successful delivery of projects. Wet storage is needed for assembly and integration because most port facilities lack space to store large Floating Offshore Wind Turbine (FOWT) and Floating Offshore Substations (FOSS) base units at their quaysides. The method of research is that without wet storage, projects are likely to face delays due to unforeseen production issues and limited weather windows for installation. As floating wind farms become larger and further offshore, there will also be a requirement for larger floating offshore power stations. Developing wet storage areas will provide social value and support local economies, with each site potentially supporting highly skilled jobs. Options for wet storage sites are extremely limited. Consenting, licensing, and insurance compliance are highly complex and untested areas requiring intensive industry engagement. Collaboration with the offshore insurance industry is key for site development. The floating wind industry needs to demonstrate that wet storage significantly lowers project risk and subsequent insurance premiums. The result of this research is that wet storage offers construction work throughout the year, whilst offshore installation is restricted to good weather periods.