An interesting project is taking place off the coast of Lincolnshire at the Lynn and Inner Dowsing wind farms (UK), with offshore charging points for electric vessels set to be installed this summer.
According to Reed Smith transportation partner Antonia Panayides, the charging points are being built and installed next to the 54-turbine, 194 MW-wind farm as part of a project led by MJR Controls. Supported by funding from the UK Department of Transport, the charging ports have been created and installation will take place later this year.
The project aims to use an existing wind farm, along with its infrastructure, to trial electric charge points on wind turbine pillars in order to provide renewable energy to crew transfer vessels (CTVs), which are used to maintain and operate offshore wind farms.
“The offshore wind industry is expanding and the increase of electrical charging points for offshore support vessels will encourage vessel owners to also switch to fully electric or hybrid vessels,” said Panayides. “By 2028, the global electric ships market is set to be worth USD7.76 billion. With increased regulation facing the shipping industry such as the International Maritime Organization setting a 2030 target for emissions reductions and net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050, we expect growth in electric vessels and offshore charging points with a view to participating in cleaner and greener shipping.”
