Wind energy – U.S.A.
ABS has awarded its Approval in Principle (AiP) to Ned Project for its hydrogen-ready wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV) design.
Ned Project Inc. is working with GPZ Energy to develop WTIV projects for the U.S. market and its NP20000X ULAM design is intended to be Jones Act compliant. It is also designed to be able to meet future offshore wind market demands, specifically operations involving 15-20 MW wind turbine installations.
Its innovative approach loads monopiles vertically on the 8,000 square-meter deck, eliminating the need to rotate monopiles to the vertical position at sea, increasing efficiency and safety.
The design is equipped with a leg encircling heavy cargo crane with a working load of 3,500 metric tons capable of handling turbines of 240-meter rotor diameter and 150-meter tower height.
The engine rooms of the hydrogen-ready WTIV are designed to be able to be converted into fuel cell compartments accommodating polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells, making it possible to rely solely on liquefied hydrogen (LH2) to meet its energy demands.