Method and facility for assembling a plurality of floating wind turbines
A method and an installation facility for assembling a plurality of floating wind turbines ( 12 ). The method comprising establishing an installation facility by arranging an installation vessel ( 1 ), having a crane ( 4 ), at a sheltered place, mooring a barge ( 2 ) next to said vessel ( 1 ). Further transporting a plurality of turbine blades ( 6 ), a plurality of tower sections ( 8 ) and a plurality of nacelles ( 10 ) to said installation facility, lifting of these parts onto said installation facility. Further towing a first floating wind turbine foundation ( 11 a) to said installation facility, erecting a tower ( 8 a ) on said first foundation ( 11 a) by assembling a set of said tower sections ( 8 ), installing a nacelle ( 10 ) on top of said tower ( 8 a ), installing a set of turbine blades ( 6 ) onto said nacelle ( 10 ) to make a completed wind turbine ( 12 a ), and finally towing said first wind turbine ( 12 a ) away.
1 . A method for assembling a plurality of floating wind turbines, the method comprising:
establishing an installation facility by arranging an installation vessel, having a crane, at a secluded place, as well as mooring a barge next to the installation vessel;
transporting a plurality of turbine blades to the installation facility by a first feeder vessel;
lifting the turbine blades, using the crane, onto the installation facility;
transporting a plurality of tower sections to the installation facility by a second heavy lift feeder vessel;
lifting at least some of the plurality of tower sections, using the crane, onto the installation facility;
transporting a plurality of nacelles to the installation facility by a third feeder vessel;
lifting the nacelles, using the crane, onto the installation facility;
towing a first floating wind turbine foundation to the installation facility;
erecting a tower on the first floating wind turbine foundation by assembling a set of the tower sections, using the crane;
installing a nacelle on top of the tower, using the crane;
installing a set of turbine blades onto the nacelle, using the crane, to make a first completed wind turbine;
towing the first wind turbine away, making space for a second floating foundation at a spot where the first wind turbine was assembled;
wherein the turbine blades are transported in cages and are lifted onto the barge; and
wherein, where the barge and a deck of the installation vessel do not have sufficient space, lifting at least one of the set of turbine blades onto the barge, lifting at least one of the plurality of tower sections onto the deck of the installation vessel, and lifting at least one of the plurality of nacelles onto the deck of the installation vessel, such that remaining ones of the set of turbine blades, remaining ones of the plurality of tower sections, and remaining ones of the plurality of nacelles, respectively, remain on the first feeder vessel, the second heavy lift feeder vessel, and the third feeder vessel.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the installation vessel is a jack-up vessel and the arranging of the installation vessel comprises lifting the installation vessel from the sea surface using jack-up legs.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the crane is used to erect a tower on the installation vessel when the crane is not busy assembling a wind turbine on the foundation.