Cathodic Protection for Offshore Wind Farms

Protection for offshore wind

Offshore wind turbines are typically located in environments that are difficult for cathodic protection designers to overcome. Placed in estuaries - commonly in very shallow water - their structures are at serious risk from high flow rates and seabed movement. Typical offshore cathodic-protection designs can fall drastically short under these conditions. Deepwater replaced failed external anodes on the first offshore wind farm in 2004, and no other company has replaced cathodic protection on more offshore wind farms.

Monopile corrosion

Many offshore wind turbines have uncoated monopile interiors. In several instances where the seal has leaked, these turbines have filled with water, causing a severe and immediate risk to the integrity of the structure. Luckily, with minor modifications to the structure, sacrificial anodes can be installed inside to protect the uncoated steel.

A specialized solution

Designed specifically for shallow-water wind farms, the VSE allows turbine operators to retrofit new cathodic protection to existing turbines. The unit is powered by the turbine itself and provides corrosion protection to all subsea and buried metal components of the structure.

A modern challenge

Deepwater's risk-based inspection services can greatly reduce the risk of failure. We provide inspection and consulting services for all types of corrosion-prevention problems.

Proven performance

Deepwater installed VSE systems to protect seven monopiles in eleven days The Irish Sea wind farm is located in 8 m -10 m of water. The VSE anode system minimizes the risk of snagging by fishing activities while maintaining a uniform circuit resistance when the system silts over.