Research on Offshore Installation Time Estimation Model for Floating Offshore Wind Farms Around Japan

Abstract

　This paper proposes a model for estimating total installation time of FOWF (Floating Offshore Wind Farm) by incorporating the meteorological and oceanographic characteristics of the operation area, and this model is applicable to various sea areas in Japan. The total installation time of FOWF can be defined as the sum of the time of seven main processes. The installation time for main processes can be described by aggregating time of sub-processes and is formulated by using eleven unit-installation time corresponding to the repetitive works during the actual installation and operation window of ten sub-processes, which vary depending on the operation areas. The unit-installation time is detected and compared through the analysis of actual installation data from Fukushima Floating Offshore Wind Farm Demonstration Project, hereinafter Fukushima FORWARD. The operation window for sub-processes in five different areas are derived based on the installation plan of Fukushima FORWARD and statistical data concerning winds and waves in the offshore of Japan. By comparing the results of operation window derived from Fukushima FORWARD data, the methodology of operation window is useful when reproducing the actual data. Finally, this paper concluded that the total installation time of FOWF can be estimated more accurately by using the updated model that takes into account meteorological and oceanographic characteristics.