In 2013, FoundOcean played a key role in numerous foundation installations within the renewables industry.
Contracted to Offshore Wind Force (OWF), FoundOcean completed grouting operations at the West of Duddon Sands 108-monopile wind farm. The DONG Energy project took just 5 months to complete, averaging 21 foundation installations per month. Once fully operational, the wind farm will produce enough energy to power over 300,000 UK households.
The Grouting operations took place using the new range of super-fast Pan Mixers which are unique to FoundOcean, providing delivery rates of ultra-high strength grouts up to 12m3 per hour – more than double the current industry standard.
In September 2013, the Super Pan Mixer contributed to setting the record for the fastest offshore wind foundation installation to date. The entire process took a total of 8 hours 50 minutes, with grouting operations lasting just 2 hours 15 minutes as a direct result of the superior grout mixing and pumping rates provided by the Super Pan Mixer.
FoundOcean also secured the foundations for the world’s two largest offshore turbines: the Samsung 7MW test turbine at Energy Park Fife, and the Belwind Demo Alstom Haliade™ 150 6MW turbine, off the Belgian coast. BASF Masterflow® 9500 ultra-high strength (UHS) grout was used to secure both foundations.
Press Release, January 28, 2014; Image: FoundOcean