World’s 1st on-site major component exchange performed on floating wind turbine

A group of industry specialists has accomplished a world first in the wind industry by performing a Major Component Exchange (MCE) on an offshore floating wind turbine at the Kincardine Offshore Windfarm in Scotland.

The operation, conducted on-site southeast of Aberdeen, marks a significant milestone for offshore wind technology. The operation’s success demonstrated that major component exchanges can be carried out offshore without requiring large cranes or towing the turbine to port.

The more cost-efficient process was developed through the combined efforts of LiftOff, Vestas, Dragados S.A., Kincardine Offshore Windfarm Limited (KOWL), and Cobra Wind International Limited (CWIL).

According to the firms, the breakthrough in major component exchanges boosts the commercial potential of floating wind energy by making it more cost-effective and efficient. Compared to traditional tow-to-port methods, it also reduces carbon emissions, enhancing the sustainability of offshore wind operations.

Offshore wind maintenance

The wind energy industry has been looking for better ways to handle generator repairs or replacements on offshore turbines. The mission aimed to minimize downtime, enhance performance, and extend the lifespan of wind turbines.

Up-tower crane technology is widely used for onshore wind turbines, particularly in regions like North America. According to Liftoff, when this technology is used for offshore wind turbines—and particularly for floating wind turbines—it will usher in a time when tow-to-port operations will be unnecessary for a variety of floating turbine maintenance tasks.

The testing ground for the exercise was the Kincardine Offshore Windfarm, located 9.3 miles (15 kilometers) off the coast of Aberdeenshire, Scotland, which became fully operational in 2021. Owned by Dragados S.A., it has a capacity of 50 MW and supplies green energy to Scotland’s grid.

A Vestas V164-9.5MW turbine at the Kincardine Offshore Windfarm used LiftOff’s up-tower crane technology and specialized teams from LiftOff and Vestas to perform a major component exchange (MCE) without the need for large cranes or towing the turbine to port.

According to Liftoff, the entire operation was conducted from an offshore support vessel (OSV), with crew transfer vessels (CTVs) assisting. This new process avoids the costly and carbon-heavy practice of towing turbines to port, which had been the only option for floating offshore wind farms.

“This solution for repairs has the potential to have positive sector-wide impact. With the floating offshore windfarm industry still in a fledgling state, it is crucial owners and operators across the world learn from projects such as this and share best practices,” said José Polimón Olabarrieta, Dragados Project Manager and General Manager at KOWL, in a statement .

Advanced turbine repair

To carry out the procedure, a GenHook up-tower crane from LiftOff of the Netherlands was temporarily erected atop the Vestas turbine.

LiftOff hoisted the wind turbine generator from the nacelle and safely lowered it to the deck of the floater, where it was subsequently transferred to the OSV after Vestas had readied the wind turbine generator and decommissioned the old generator.

The replacement generator was then moved to the floater and lowered into the nacelle using the GenHook crane, all while adhering to the same procedure.

Due to the floating wind turbine’s constant motion caused by wind, waves, and currents, load-control systems were built during this operation to regulate the load during the lifting activities.

To ensure a safe operation, the crew meticulously planned the activities using multiple weather forecasts and real-time motion tracking. According to LiftOff, in less than a month, the project’s execution phase—which involved the complete mobilization and demobilization of all equipment—was completed.

“Tow-to-port operations for major component exchanges have been a key challenge in the floating wind space for years. This innovative in-situ solution, using an up-tower crane on a geared Vestas turbine, showcases that alternative means to towing activities are no longer just possible on paper or in animations, but a proven solution,” said Thore Abel, director of global service contracting at Vestas.