Notizia

Over the past few years, we have seen several enquiries from the offshore wind sector for our electro-mechanical linear actuation, lifting and positioning products. The potential for applications of our bespoke lifting and positioning systems across all areas of offshore wind fabrication, assembly, transport, installation, and maintenance is huge with many benefits over hydraulic systems. Potentially most relevant is the reduced environmental risk due to no hydraulic fluid being present. Electro-mechanical systems are also far simpler involving fewer system components compared with the various hoses, connectors and valves needed to operate hydraulics.

One of the areas we are seeing interest in for our products is around the transportation and installation of monopiles – cylindrical steel structures that are one of the most widely used foundations for offshore wind turbines. For the transportation of these huge structures, we have been exploring sea fastening applications for our products that would provide a bespoke system capable of holding loads up to 500 tonnes. The benefits here is that our jacks within the system do not have to be mechanically linked and can be electronically synchronised whilst capable of very large spans.

With vast experience in offshore, marine and subsea applications, our designs have proven success in harsh environments, and we can also arrange DNV or Lloyd’s Register approval if required. Our electro-mechanical screw jacks have been used within specialist tensioning machines for subsea cable laying for more accurate positioning and better tension control over purely hydraulic systems. We see this being an interesting application to support the extensive subsea cable laying involved in the development of offshore wind farms.

Another area we see benefiting from our electro-mechanical systems is within offshore wind maintenance operations. Our bespoke jacking systems have been used across a range of sectors to provide access platforms for maintenance works involving the movement of equipment and people. The benefits of electro-mechanical over hydraulics here is that no power is required to hold the platform stationary and with less power requirement there are lower costs and greater efficiencies. Another safety related benefit for this type of application is the self-locking feature which would hold the platform in place in the event of power loss.

The applications for our products and systems across the offshore wind sector are endless and we pride ourselves on the bespoke approach we take to every customer challenge. As the industry continues to grow, we know there will be actuation, lifting and positioning challenges our customers have not come across before and we are ready to support them.

If you have an actuation, lifting or positioning challenge in your offshore wind operations you’d like to discuss please get in touch with us at sales@powerjacks.com.