The Floating Foundation *BRUNEL*
The BRUNEL floating foundation is designed to unlock the potential of floating wind.
A floating wind turbine foundation with both strong technical and commercial capabilities, BRUNEL is designed for the next generation of wind turbines. BRUNEL has a modular approach suitable for serial and automized production in the existing global supply chain allowing for instant scale-up and low cost.
A Pioneering Floating Foundation Based on Tubulars
The BRUNEL Floating Foundation is a semi-submersible structure designed for harsh north-sea conditions.
With its modular design, the philosophy is to utilize existing and proven technology to allow for a rapid route to market. The use of modular steel tubulars, like the ones used for monopiles and wind towers, means that BRUNEL is manufactured and designed for the existing global supply chain, and with a radical focus on automated mass production.
Subsequently, BRUNEL can leverage already existing supply chains and manufacture and assemble foundations at the volume required for floating giga-parks. Additionally, BRUNEL offers more efficient logistics and the facilitates local content assembly.
BRUNEL awarded DNV Basic Design Certification
Fred. Olsen 1848 is pleased to announce that BRUNEL Floating Foundation, a leading initiative in the floating offshore wind market, has completed its comprehensive basic design phase according to DNV’s recently updated certification scheme for floating wind, DNV-SE-0422, and was subsequently awarded a DNV Basic Design Certification as one of few foundation designs in the industry.
Read full press release here: BRUNEL DNV Certified
*BRUNEL Maintenance Solution*
Fred. Olsen 1848 is developing an O&M solution tailored specifically for BRUNEL – a complete solution and operational procedure.
The BRUNEL Maintenance Solution will enable large component exchange directly at the offshore floating wind site in a safe and cost-efficient manner, operationally optimized for the BRUNEL floating foundation. This reduces project risk and avoids towing the foundation to shore.
The unique BRUNEL maintenance solution features a barge fitted with both a jacking system and a compatible crane that attaches itself to the BRUNEL foundation. This removes the need for dynamic lifts, reduces complexity in replacement operations, and at the same time creates a working area on the barge to handle the components.
Moving Intelligently Towards the Wind Thrust Force
Fred. Olsen 1848 and partners have developed a framework for "Active control of yaw drift of single point moored wind turbines".
Learn more about how to stabilize single point moored floating wind turbines while optimizing the positioning against the wind thrust for increased energy production here:
The BRUNEL drivers
The modular design of BRUNEL based on steel tubulars offers low complexity and benefits from a competitive cost per fabricated ton. The low-cost steel tubulars utilize the existing global supply chain, and the modularity enables optimized logistics.
BRUNEL’s design allows for high-quality serial manufacturing in a safe working environment in controlled factory conditions. This facilitates a high deployment rate.
To avoid towing the foundation to port, an integrated onsite maintenance solution is under development. This enables large component exchange directly at the floating offshore wind site in a safe and cost-efficient manner.
The combination of the above benefits makes the BRUNEL foundation stand out with the ability to realize the potential of floating offshore wind.
The design of BRUNEL is based on a simple, yet challenging design philosophy: to see if we can build a foundation based on generic steel tubulars and hence enable manufacturing at a commercial scale. This radical focus on commercial requirements, while at the same time attending to excellence on all technical parameters, will allow the floating offshore wind industry to realize its enormous potential.
BRUNEL utilizes proven technology and leverages the existing supply chain. Its structure is optimized for the wind thrust force, featuring a modular design structure.
Turret with low complexity
The BRUNEL floating foundation features a single-point mooring through a turret. This system builds on years of experience within turret mooring systems in O&G, however, this turret is made in a simplistic manner. The turret is designed with low complexity ensuring reliable operations.
The weathevaning function allows for a passive ballast system and a structure that continuously optimizes its position towards the wind thrust force. Said differently, this means BRUNEL can self-align towards the wind direction.
The single-point mooring system creates cost-reducing benefits by reducing the need for mechanical systems and reducing mooring costs.
BRUNEL builds on the heritage of Fred. Olsen related companies
Brunel is developed on the back of our strong engineering and maritime heritage and leverages the renewable ecosystem of the Fred. Olsen-related companies.
Learning from bottom-fixed offshore wind, a high level of automized and serial manufacturing is needed to reduce the LCoE whilst ensuring high deployment rates, high quality and a safe working environment.
The BRUNEL floating foundation realizes floating offshore wind by:
- utilizing Fred. Olsen’s long heritage and knowledge from the maritime and energy sector
- being developed to produce for high-volume serial manufacturing facilities in a fully controlled factory environment
- allowing for efficient transportation, logistics and local final assembly
