GL Garrad Hassan has produced a new paper detailing the offshore wind operations and maintenance sector. “A Guide to Offshore Wind Operations and Maintenance”, which was jointly funded by The Crown Estate and Scottish Enterprise, gives a clear account of the relevant concepts, trends and players in this rapidly developing sector.
“Offshore wind O&M is set to become a two billion pound a year industry by 2025,” said Joe Phillips, Head of Strategy and Policy at GL Garrad Hassan . “The opportunity this presents for new entrants to the offshore wind space, especially small and medium-sized enterprises is huge. There is clear scope for UK companies to bring forward new and innovative ways of doing things. The industry will be shaped over the coming decade by the companies which get involved in offshore O&M now. We have published this Guide in order to provide a gateway for people seeking to understand – and join – an exciting emerging sector.”
Because of the emergent nature of the offshore wind market, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are particularly well suited to exploit the opportunities which arise, as they can capitalise on their local presence, commercial and technical flexibility, or specialist and innovative solutions.
“This document gives new entrants to the sector everything they need to develop a picture of offshore wind O&M,” said Phillips . “From the likely scale of the future market to logistical strategies for accessing turbines at sea and approaches to contracting, the Guide is essential reading for anyone with an interest in a major new UK industry.”
The Guide can be read in more than one way. Taken as a whole it steadily builds in the reader a complete understanding of offshore wind O&M, while also working as a reference document that can be returned to time after time, giving quick access to key facts and information.
The UK market for offshore wind O&M services is expected to grow to £1.2 billion/year by 2020 and continue on as the offshore sector expands. O&M expenditures make up some 25% of the total kWh costs over the entire life of a turbine, but even so these costs represent a much lower share than conventional thermal power stations which are reliant on a fuel source.
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Press release, June 17, 2013; Image: gl