Leeds Uni Working to Extend Lifetime of Offshore Wind Turbines

Geoscientists from the University of Leeds are studying seismic data gathered by surveys to improve the lifespan of offshore wind turbines in the North Sea.

Using high-resolution seismic reflection data, the team is gaining a detailed picture of the sedimentary environments preserved below the seabed of the North Sea, which gives offshore wind companies insights for positioning new turbines securely on the variable sediments and mobile seafloor. 

According to the university, the modern North Sea floor is a highly dynamic environment. Using the new data, researchers have pinpointed the location of highly mobile sand bodies, which can scour at the base of the turbines.

Using geoscience expertise to plan for the optimal positioning of turbines will extend their lifespan, the researchers claim.

“Our distinctive contribution is the understanding of the substrate and the impact this can have on the economics of installation. We are working more closely with the industry to have a stronger input on the geological controls so the best methods and materials can be chosen,” said Professor Dave Hodgson.

“This could inform more accurate prediction and forecasting of the rates of future sea level rise and what this might mean for low lying communities.”

Large areas of the southern North Sea were dry land for thousands of years, and archaeologists and geoscientists in the UK, Belgium and the Netherlands are collaborating with the research team to discover more about how humans lived in this landscape. The environmental changes occurring during earlier warm interglacial periods have also been investigated.