High Wind has announced the release of a report by BVG Associates analysing the effects of increasing the wind speed limit for turbine component lifts. The report, “Impact of the Boom Lock tool on offshore wind cost of energy”, quantifies the impact on levelised cost of energy (LCOE) of reduced vessel use and earlier power generation, based on the use of the “Boom Lock” tool.
For turbine installation, the key constraint is wind speed with most projects unable to lift components in more than 11m/s at hub height. Any increase in this maximum will have significant positive effects on the LCOE. The Boom Lock tool, which is already installed on the GeoSea-owned jack-up Neptune, allows an offshore crane to install wind turbine components at high wind speeds by stabilising the hook during critical points in the lift.