Atkins has been appointed by PowerChina Huadong Engineering Co. Ltd (HDEC) to design the offshore substation platform at State Power Investment Corporation’s (SPIC) 300MW Binhai South Phase 3 offshore wind farm in the Yellow Sea.
Atkins’ scope covers ground engineering and structural work for the offshore substation topside and jacket foundation.
“This project is a tremendous opportunity for international collaboration that will benefit the evolution of offshore wind expertise and help ensure the industry continues to grow as a reliable source of energy. In line with our strategic ambitions to expand our offshore wind business into new areas, our first step into China working with SPIC and HDEC is an exciting one,” Andy Thompson, Atkins’ market lead for offshore engineering, said.
South-East Asia has the potential to be a major growth market for offshore wind; however; the region presents a unique set of challenges to the ground engineering and foundation design, Atkins said.
For example, the sea bed off China’s east coast, within 5-30m depth, is characteristic of soft, silty soils which are different to soil conditions in Europe. Selecting appropriate foundations will therefore be crucial, Atkins said.
Using standardised components and drawing on a track record of designing more than a dozen offshore substation platforms in Europe, Atkins’ renewables team will aim to complete the project in half the time whilst ensuring safety standards are met in line with European and international codes.