Decommissioning at Robin Rigg wind farm
James Fisher Marine Services* was contracted by E-ON to provide diving support for the decommissioning of two off shore wind turbines.
Located between the Cumbrian and Galloway coasts, E-ON’s Robin Rigg wind farm holds home to 60 3MW Vestas V90 wind turbines and required the decommissioning of two of its units after reaching their maximum lifespan. After project completion, the wind farm continued to operate to its usual capacity.
The challenges
• The Robin Rigg wind farm – Scotland’s original offshore wind farm – required two of its wind turbines to be decommissioned after reaching the end of their operational life.
• The solution required a dedicated team of experts to dismantle and decommission the turbines in a safe and efficient manner, while adhering to the client’s predefined time and cost requirements.
• The project required the use of innovative cutting equipment to safely remove of the turbine’s belly bands and adjoining cables.
The solution
• JF Renewables supplied a professional diving support team to recover objects from beneath the seabed.
• The team supplied and installed an innovative cutting tool and tasked experienced personnel to safely and efficiently dismantle the wind units.
• A monopile recovery rigging solution was installed to efficiently remove the monopile sections from beneath the seabed.
The results and benefits
• JF Renewables successfully conducted each task with precision and ensured a high standards of service was delivered for the safety of the wind farm.
• The team completed the project work in line with E-ON’s time and budget requirements and to their satisfaction.