One of the most promising renewable energy sectors is the formidable offshore wind industry. As a supplier to marine and offshore industry over several decades, Glamox has built on the broad experience when supplying lighting solutions to offshore wind.

Photo: Iain Henderson

 

THE EUROPEAN OFFSHORE WIND Deployment Centre (EOWDC), located off the coast of Aberdeen in Scotland, is one of the largest offshore wind and test facilities developed.

EOWDC is developed by the multinational power company Vattenfall through a subsidiaryAberdeen Offshore Wind Farm Limited.

The wind farm will serve as a testbed for new technology and innovation to accelerate the offshore wind sector’s drive for cost reduction and greater productivity.

The wind farm consists of 11 turbines, each 191 metres tall with an installed capacity of 93.2 megawatt. This means that the facility can power the equivalent of 70% of the homes in Aberdeen. In fact, just one rotation of the 80-metre-long blades is enough to power an average UK household for a full day. The wind farm is an example of power generation that is both competitive and clean.

 

The lighting solution

Dutch company Boskalis, a leading dredging and marine service provider, was responsible for the eleven suction bucket jacket foundations for the wind turbines, scour protection, and the installation of the wind turbine generators. In close collaboration with department at Boskalis, Glamox has supplied low-maintenance and energy efficient lighting solutions to the wind turbines.

FL40 floodlights and MIR LED lighting in robust stainless steel housing were the preferred choice for technical indoor and marine outdoor installations on the wind turbines to endure the harsh marine environment.

Lighting provides ample illumination for maintenance personnel when they carry outinspections and maintenance work. MIR LED Linear Luminiares are mounted on the railings on the external platforms and inside the monopiles. FL40 floodlights are installed above the entry doors, by the entry ladders and towards the wind turbines identification plates.

 

Reducing light pollution Glamox in Netherland was contracted by Boskalis to do the light design and engineering for the project. The project was was headed by Desmond Franke, Account Manager at Glamox BV in Netherlands. “The customer wanted energy efficient and maintenance friendly LED lighting that would endure the marine environment. Inside the turbines the main objective was to achieve a lux level suitable for machinery rooms, while keeping the amount of luminaires low to reduce the energy consumption. On the external installation, light pollution was an important issue. We had to make sure the calculations were very precise in order to have as little light pollution as possible, Desmond explains.