Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) has helped produce new guidelines for the removal of offshore wind turbines that have reached the end of their working lives.

Decommissioning of first-generation wind turbines is already taking place, the association added, with a continuous program ahead of turbines to be removed and recycled as the industry develops.

Specialists throughout the sector cooperated over at two-year period on the project, adapting decommissioning experience from the removal of North Sea oil and gas installations.

The guidelines provide an overview of relevant regulations and best practices for technical design and environmental protection for offshore wind decommissioning.

According to OEUK, removing a wind turbine is a costly process, but techniques applied for cutting and transporting large steel offshore oil and gas components can be transferred to the decommissioning of offshore wind turbines.

Other end-of-life operational issues are the need to ensure safety of personnel, assessing a turbine’s weight and potential for flotation, and ensuing protection of marine life. OEUK is publishing a technical work breakdown structure to support these developments.

Changes to the seabed environment that are being monitored throughout the lifespan of wind turbines will influence future decommissioning planning decisions. The design and development process of new offshore wind turbines must take these changes into account, the guidelines add.