Heavy Lifting Solutions for Offshore Wind Farms

The Innovation Exchange programme is working alongside Scottish & Southern Electricity Renewables (SSER), the owner the Beatrice and Greater Gabbard offshore wind sites. SSER wishes to engage innovators to deliver solutions for lifting heavy turbine components (600kg+) which reduce reliance on the use of jack-up vessels.

Opportunity

Challenge opens

17/06/2022

Challenge closes

02/08/2022

Benefit

Successful applicants will be given an opportunity to pitch their innovation to SSER. Selected solution(s) may be trialled at SSER sites (subject to required verification), with the possibility of further roll out if trials are successful.

Background

SSER is a leading developer and operator of renewable energy across the UK and Ireland, with a portfolio of around 4GW of onshore wind, offshore wind and hydro. SSER has the largest offshore wind development pipeline in the UK and Ireland at over 6GW and has an onshore wind pipeline across both markets in excess of 1GW.

SSER make significant use of jack-up vessels throughout the operational phase of an offshore wind farm’s life, for the maintenance of wind turbines. Jack-up vessels are used to lift components with a mass of up to 80 tonnes. Components or parts with a mass below 600kg can usually be lifted by use of a nacelle crane. There are no technical issues with the use of jack-up vessels, however efficiency of operations is limited by the restricted availability and lead times, weather constraints and high cost of deployment for jack-up vessels. 

You must be logged in to see the full information