Final preparations are underway at BiFab’s (Burntisland Fabrications Ltd) Methil facility in Fife for the sail out of the two support structures for the Beatrice Wind Farm Demonstrator Project. The ‘jackets’ each weigh almost 800 tonnes and stand 70 metres tall.
They were unveiled by UK Chancellor Dr Gordon Brown MP at a completion ceremony at the fabrication yard today and will shortly begin their 200 mile journey to the installation site adjacent to the Beatrice Alpha oil platform in the Moray Firth.
Installation of the jackets is expected to be completed over the next few days and the jackets will provide support for two 5MW wind turbine generators.“We have been carrying out heavy fabrication commissions for the offshore oil and gas industry for many years,” commented BiFab Managing Director John Robertson. “We recognised some time ago that our skills base is ideally suited to the type of fabrication work that is required within the renewable energy sector, particularly for solutions for offshore wind, wave and tidal projects.
“This project has given us the opportunity to put ourselves at the cutting edge in a new technology which could eventually present a large number of long term employment opportunities for our workforce.”
The principal funders of the Beatrice Wind Farm Demonstrator Project, which is aimed at proving the technical and commercial viability of deepwater offshore wind, are Talisman Energy (UK) Limited (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Talisman Energy Inc.) and Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE).
Additional backing is being provided by the Scottish Executive, the DTI and the European Commission. Chancellor Brown commented: “I was delighted when I heard that the contract for this critical component of the Beatrice Wind Farm Demonstrator Project had been awarded to a UK bidder and particularly to BiFab, a world class company based in Fife. I am very pleased to be here today to see for myself the completion of these structures, which are clearly a testament to the technology and skills that the company is able to bring to projects of this type.
“If the UK is to achieve its aspirations for the longer term development of renewable energy then we will need to exploit substantially more of our renewable resource than is currently envisaged. The UK Government has provided significant funding for the Beatrice Demonstrator Project, which harnesses world class skills and determination from BiFab and others involved in our offshore oil and gas industry, to test the feasibility of wind farm technology in substantially deeper water than has been tried before and I congratulate all those involved on their pioneering approach.
"Nick Walker, Vice-President of Talisman Energy (U.K.) Ltd., said the Beatrice wind farm project began after Talisman “became interested in offshore wind in 2001 following a review of our redevelopment of the Beatrice field.”
“The review looked for ways to reduce operating costs, increase production and recoverable reserves and extend the life of Beatrice. Talisman believes that the company’s existing infrastructure at Beatrice offers a unique opportunity to test the feasibility of deepwater wind farms while optimizing the value of our facilities.”
When installed, the wind turbine will have a height of approximately 85 metres above sea level and the blades a rotational equivalent of two football pitches.The turbines will be sited in the Moray Firth more than 23 kilometres from shore in water depths of around 45 metres. This is a step change from existing offshore wind developments, which are located in territorial waters close to shore in water depths of less than 10 metres. Commissioning should be complete and first power available in the fourth quarter of 2006.
Existing infrastructure and connections will be modified to enable the electricity generated to be used in the Beatrice oil field. The field’s production platforms will also provide a base from which to carry out wind turbine generator monitoring and maintenance.
During the five-year period of the Beatrice Wind Farm Demonstrator Project, Talisman and SSE will collect performance data, look for ways to reduce costs and develop operating procedures. If the project is successful, Talisman and SSE will consider the construction of a full-scale offshore wind farm. A commercial venture could generate upwards of one gigawatt of electricity, more than enough to power the city of Aberdeen.
The Demonstrator Project has been incorporated into the pan-European initiative, DOWNVInD (Distant Offshore Wind Farms With No Visual Impact In Deepwater). DOWNVInD has been established as a catalyst for commercializing deepwater wind farm technology and includes 18 different organisations from six European countries. DOWNVInD is Europe’s largest renewable energy research and development programme.
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