Ørsted finds first taker for low-noise offshore monopile installation method

Ørsted has signed its first preferred supplier agreement for its new low-noise, jetting-based Osonic monopile installation technique.

The agreement was inked with German energy infrastructure asset manager Luxcara, and it marks the first step toward commercial deployment of the technology.

The technology is said to achieve a reduction in underwater noise to levels just above the background noise in the German Bight in the North Sea. It will be used by Luxcara for offshore wind turbine foundations in German waters.

Ørsted describes Osonic, which it has developed over the past few years, as a low-noise alternative to conventional pile-driving. The company used the system recently at its Gode Wind 3 development offshore Germany, which started operations earlier this year. It claims that noise levels were just above the ambient noise in the area.

The patent-pending jetting system is also said to reduce the soil’s resistance to penetration, allowing foundations to sink more quietly into the seabed with minimal impact on marine life.

Ørsted is now progressing the commercial phase, offering licensing of the technology and associated services to third-party developers for European offshore wind projects.