Geodis has engineered the transport and installation of an offshore energy storage prototype off the coast of Italy, adding to its growing offshore energy portfolio. The project comes amid a period of change for the sector, with developments in floating wind, wave and tidal energy continuing alongside shifting market conditions.
Located off the coast of Calabria in the Mediterranean Sea, the prototype was deployed at the Natural Ocean Engineering Laboratory (NOEL), one of Italy’s leading offshore test sites for innovative marine energy technologies.
The project was carried out for Sizable Energywith Geodis providing engineering services for the launch, transport and installation of the structure. The prototype is designed to store electricity generated by offshore wind farms and other renewable energy sources before feeding it back into the grid during periods of higher demand, helping to improve grid stability while offering an alternative to battery energy storage systems (BESS).
Geodis was responsible for the engineering behind the launch, towing and installation operations – including lifting calculations, crane positioning, lifting plans, rigging design, installation procedures and the engineering for towage – and mooring hook-up operations. The company also provided onsite technical support and supervision throughout the project.
The offshore storage reservoir measured 50 m in diameter – comparable to the surface area of an Olympic-sized swimming pool – and weighed approximately 11 tonnes. Launching the prototype required a 350-tonne crane operating with an outreach of around 50 m to accommodate site constraints and environmental requirements.
Nicolas Bonnierglobal manager offshore wind solutions, project logistics at Geodis, said: “Thanks to our offshore engineering expertise, we help our clients turn complex concepts into safe and reliable operational solutions. This first achievement opens new development opportunities for Geodis in the field of offshore energy storage, both in Italy and internationally.”
Next generation technologies
The company said the project marks its first step into the offshore energy storage market, demonstrating its ability to apply its engineering expertise to next-generation technologies in what it described as a “rapidly evolving sector”.
It also expands Geodis’ offshore energy portfolio, complementing its existing expertise across fixed-bottom and floating offshore wind, as well as tidal and wave energy.
Speaking to HLPFI for the July/August edition of the magazine, Bonnier noted that governments around the world realise that renewables – and offshore wind in particular – are a robust solution to protect vulnerable countries against energy crises. “The issue is how to transform those conclusions into efficient action, especially when a dominant country puts pressure on others to stop the growth of renewables. A lot of political courage is needed,” he commented.
Bonnier added that financing has also become more constrained, citing the withdrawal of some US investment funds from offshore wind and the challenges faced by several European developers in the US market.
While acknowledging these headwinds, he pointed to China’s rapid technological and commercial advances, alongside continued commitment from markets including the UK, France, Norway, Ireland and Poland.
‘Natural selection process’
Regarding the floating offshore wind segment, he conceded that it is currently experiencing “a natural selection process”. “On the one hand, real progress is being made on firm projects with some developers willing to actually produce and sell electricity. On the other hand, the market is seeing the disappearance of ventures that apparently were created to be flipped for quick financial gains,” he commented.
Bonnier believes the market will start to grow again and suggested there are already encouraging indicators of that: “We are starting to feel a consensus on the floater designs with a true potential for growth. Also, we observe the signing of partnerships between international players creating major EPCI companies and massive funds invested in port developments or the building of new ships. Those are some of the key ingredients needed for floating wind to take off.”
Wave and tidal developments are also making progress, albeit at a slower pace.
From prototypes to commercialisation
As with the offshore energy storage prototype, Geodis has continued to support these technologies at the early stages of commercial development. Among them is the EuropeWave programme, for which the company provided engineering services in 2022 for the second phase of its development. That project aimed to advance the most promising designs for wave energy converter systems, to the point where they can be commercially exploited through other national/regional programmes and/or private sector investment.
“We regularly receive spot opportunities from wave energy clients, which we always treat with due care because at this point what matters the most is the accumulated knowledge gained from the sum of small projects performed. We want to be ready when these alternative energy technologies eventually scale up,” Bonnier said.
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