Designing Inch Cape’s turbine foundations and substructures
SLPE is delivering the design of the wind farm’s wind turbine generator foundations and substructures. Since 2020, SLPE has been driving the development of concept studies, front-end engineering, and detailed design to inform significant project decisions such as the selection of substructure concept and associated design parameters. Currently in the detailed engineering phase, the SLPE team is working in close collaboration with the project supply chain to mitigate technical risks and complete the turbine substructure design package in readiness for the construction phase.
Outcomes
The SLPE design team comprises multi-discipline engineers, technicians, and project staff based in the UK. The Inch Cape contract award has enabled SLPE to grow its team size steadily over the past three years, recruiting and developing exceptional talent with experience in the design of offshore structures for UK waters and beyond. Not only has this supported the transition of a skilled workforce into the offshore wind sector, it has also encouraged technical innovation to overcome new challenges arising from the complex nature of the site conditions as well as ambitious aspirations for the wind farm.
Inch Cape and other similar wind farm projects have catalysed SLPE’s investment in industry research and development, including collaboration with British universities. An example of this is the company’s partnership with the University of Nottingham to develop an enhanced diagnostic monitoring system which will support the future life extension of wind farm installations. SLPE also actively invests in the development of proprietary technology that seeks to push technical boundaries in substructure and foundation design, adding value to projects such as Inch Cape.
Melvin Lau, Business Development Manager of SLPE said:
“Inch Cape is one of SLPE’s most important contracts. It has enabled us to invest in a highly skilled design team at the forefront of the offshore renewables industry. This has in turn benefitted Inch Cape with cutting-edge expertise and technology that seeks to maximise technical and commercial opportunities for the project.
“We are proud to be working alongside the Inch Cape team in a collaborative spirit to deliver this significant project for Scotland and the UK.”
SLPE’s team is developing Inch Cape’s turbine foundation and substructure design
January 2024
