The Innovate UK-backed, 20-month Self-Installing Scour Protection for Offshore Wind Farms (SISProtect) project is a collaboration between six industry partners. The consortium is led by Seabed Scour Control Systems (SSCS).The design of the prototype Frond Mat scour protection system, with an integrated deployment method, will be a joint effort between SSCS and SPT Offshore. SSCS will design the frond mats and SPT Offshore will design the deployment system.
The Self-Installing Scour Protection will then be fabricated and fitted to a suction bucket foundation designed and manufactured by SPT Offshore and installed by N-Sea at ScottishPower Renewables’ East Anglia ONE offshore windfarm.
This field trial follows laboratory scour tests already carried out by ScottishPower Renewables with SSCS at HR Wallingford. A suction bucket without scour protection will also be installed, providing a reference for the level of scour that will develop naturally at the site and ensuring that the reduced scour measured at the protected suction bucket can be properly attributed to the Frond Mats; comparisons will also be made to the foundation rock armour used at East Anglia One.
The Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult will analyse how this system compares in performance and cost with traditional scour protection systems. DHI Water Environments Ltd will monitor the offshore deployment and system performance over 12 months, after which time the system will be removed. ScottishPower Renewables will be responsible for site consenting, project management and providing access to the East Anglian ONE offshore windfarm site.
The Self-Installing Scour Protection for Offshore Wind Farms (SISProtect) scheme will prototype a so-called “frond mat” system that will fitted to a suction bucket jacket (SBJ) before installation at the 714MW East Anglia 1 project, off Scotland.