The wind energy value chain:
Step 1: Design, test and validation

Cathodic Protection (CP) mitigates corrosion on submerged surfaces on offshore wind structures and is a vital part of securing the integrity of the structures. When designing a CP system, you must ensure that the lifespan from installation through service life is covered, fulfilling CP current and weight requirements.

Any conventional CP design calculation assumes an even distribution of galvanic anodes. This is not practically feasible on offshore wind monopiles: CP modelling is therefore a useful and recommended tool for optimising the design and anode configuration to ensure that the entire structure is adequately cathodically protected through the service life and for retrofit and life extension.

As CP modelling pioneers, we have 40 years of experience providing CP modelling for all types of marine structures worldwide with our in-house CP software SeaCorr™. We also offer the newest state-of-the-art technology for subsea inspection of offshore structures - the highly sensitive FiGS^® sensor, which has proven substantial cost savings for offshore inspections. Combining the CP modelling analysis of the inspection data with status and models available for the client in our online CP Integrity Viewer enhances the operator's status and knowledge about the integrity of the offshore structures.

Assessing a wind structure's optimal design is complex. You get the best results by combining advanced software, the correct data, realistic simulators and state-of-the-art aerodynamic/hydrodynamic test facilities.

You can optimise your wind energy design by simulating a proposed setup before you test, validate and put it into production. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) can help suggest ways of optimising the design based on extensive experience and historical data.

Our accurate on- and offline maritime simulator for engineering studies allows you to evaluate various layouts under predetermined criteria that correspond with real-life conditions. The simulator visualises the advantages and limitations of the proposed design, enabling fact-based, safe, and cost-saving decisions on the port or approach.

The simulations provide an opportunity to experience the planned future in real time and help you to screen various solutions and quantify cost versus performance.

During the design phase, a digital twin can contribute to significantly reducing costs compared to traditional product design iterations. A digital twin is a virtual representation of the wind structure that spans its lifecycle, is updated from real-time data, and uses simulation, machine learning and reasoning to help decision-making.

If you have a wind-related product, it needs to be extraordinarily robust. To know that it is robust and functions under the desired conditions, you need a customised test process that considers the specific requirements of your product and tells you how it will work, for how long, and what you can do to choose the right materials and maintain them over time.

Our materials and testing experts can identify critical technical factors affecting the safety of your structures, systems and materials. We can assist with material selection and verification, corrosion rate simulations and calculations, welding consultancy and surface protection. Accelerated environmental testing of composites, elastomers, plastics and metals ensures their function and safe use.

We can help avoid unnecessary damages and minimise corrosion through our many test labs: we can look at your assets with every test tool known to man – from mechanical and large component testing through wind tunnels to ultrasound and CT scans. Our experts can take a deeper look at the surfaces and tell you how long a given material will perform under the given conditions.

We have a long tradition of cooperating with companies in the energy sector, including assistance related to local plans in the form of environmental impact assessments (EIA), noise reduction and action plans for compliance with noise limits and product/compliance testing.

During the planning phase, we calculate the noise contributions impacting neighbours or wildlife using the wind turbine manufacturer's sound power level. We offer advice, measurement and documentation of acoustic noise and vibrations from subcomponents following applicable directives, executive orders and international standards. We can prepare the required documentation for the public authorities' processing of application about the project.

We test that all parts can survive the salty environment and that all the wind turbine's electrical systems operate safely and within the legal and desired audio limits.