New sustainable anchor concepts revealed for floating wind

EU funded project TAILWIND has proposed a sustainable-by-design methodology offering a review of the emerging anchor types and a structured evaluation of the available commercial designs. Five anchor concepts are then identified and investigated as sustainable by design solutions for the two selected offshore sites Utsira Nord (Norway) and Provence Grand Large (France).

Sustainable anchor concepts provides a detailed analysis of installation efficiency, recyclability, local supply‑chain integration and marine‑ecosystem impact for each selected design. To obtain such insight, the project research team exploited data and loading scenarios previously outlined within the Project Design Basis report. The industrial feasibility of five anchors was also benchmarked against technological, economic, environmental and social sustainability expected impacts. All four criteria must be fulfilled, assessing costs and risks for production, transportation and deployment while accounting for value creation in local supply chains and communities.

A first relevant conclusion is that there is no single “best” model for every scenario. Suction and driven pile anchors scored high efficiency level respectively for clay (Norway) and sand (France) seabed; fluke and plate anchors showed better results in terms of geotechnical efficiency; gravity anchors feasibility was only possible on shallow sand sites and it’s not suitable for soft sediments, scoring overall lower than the other anchors tested. Environmental impact and recyclability remain hard to quantify while an installation risk assessment should be included in further studies. As a matter of fact, all the considerations gathered will support the researchers in the ongoing development of TAILWIND project.

In the next phase, TAILWIND experts will test anchors to improve their geotechnical design. “By systematically comparing proven anchors and spotlighting innovation potential in hybrid, grouped and enhanced designs, our intent is to provide a clear and sustainable roadmap to outline ideal anchor solutions that are lighter on materials, faster to install and kinder to the seabed” commented Aligi Foglia from the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI), TAILWIND Project Coordinator and leader of the anchor technology development team.

Later this year another release will present the mechanical characterisation and durability for synthetic fibre ropes, paving the way for integrated testing of the mooring‑and‑anchor system. Another step forward bridging the gap between research and offshore deployment. Discover more about TAILWIND project progress on the website resource section or by subscribing to the project newsletter.