Offshore Company GBM Works Receives Funding for Prototype Construction

Offshore company GBM Works has received a €1.8 million grant from Dutch enterprise agency RVO to build a prototype for a much quieter and faster installation of offshore wind turbines. The company is involved in a large offshore innovation project, where various novel installation methods are being tested in practice.

At present monopiles for the offshore turbines are being rammed into the seabed, which leads to high noise pollution underwater and has an impact on wildlife. Thus noise-reducing 'bubble curtains' are often used.

GBM Works, a spin-off of Delft University of Technology, has developed a method to anchor the turbines almost silently in the seabed: a water jet is used to liquefy the soil on the inside of the tube. In combination with vibrating the pile, this removes resistance and the monopile sinks into the ground more easily.

The new construction method was tested last autumn on the Maasvlakte and delivered convincing results. In addition to a significant reduction in noise, the patented jet-gun installation technique can work twice as deep and four times as fast. The associated simulation model has now also been validated. It provides an accurate prediction of the desired depth, speed and corresponding machine settings.

GBM Works founder and Director Ben Arntz: "In the coming years many wind turbines will be placed at sea to achieve the EU climate targets. However, the construction has an enormous impact on marine life. In particular, the noise under water causes a lot of nuisance for the environment. With our technology, we not only ensure that the environmental nuisance disappears, it also makes construction faster and therefore cheaper."

Thanks to the funding, GBM Works will be able to further develop its low-noise and patented laying method technically. The goal is a prototype that can penetrate both hard clay and sandy soils.