Dieseko Group and CorPower Ocean have entered into a consortium agreement to launch VibroDrive+, a joint research project aimed at improving offshore anchor design and installation efficiency. The project will combine advanced vibro hammer technology with next-generation anchor concepts.
The project is supported by EUR 400,000 Eureka Eurostars funding and is to drive smarter and more sustainable offshore solutions.
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Wave energy
The project is essential for the future rollout of CorPower Ocean’s wave energy arrays with the CorPower UMACK anchors providing the foundation for large scale electricity generation from ocean waves. Wave energy remains available when wind and solar levels drop, therefore making a direct contribution to scaling and stabilising the renewable energy mix offshore.
The novel anchoring solution and installation via vibro hammer represents a step change in levelised cost of energy (LCoE) for offshore foundations for wave, floating offshore wind and other floating structures projects around the globe.
Optimisation of the UMACK anchor
The VibroDrive+ initiative brings together Dieseko Group’s expertise in deep foundations and vibratory technology with CorPower Ocean’s pioneering work in wave energy systems. The collaboration focuses on further optimising CorPower Ocean’s UMACK anchor, a universal anchor system designed for marine energy, floating wind, and other offshore applications.
Through the integration of Dieseko’s high-performance vibro hammer solutions, the project aims to streamline anchor installation, minimise environmental impact, and achieve the lowest possible LCoE.
Laboratory testing
Research activities will commence 1 December at the IWES Fraunhofer Institute in Hannover, where the project team will conduct advanced controlled laboratory testing involving several rounds of UMACK anchor installation and both static and cyclic load testing. These trials will further confirm how vibratory techniques can enhance both the geotechnical performance and installation predictability of the UMACK anchor under diverse seabed conditions.
This project will further improve the existing UMACK anchor technology offering and allow the consortium to build on cutting edge installation methods using Vibrohammer technology.
‘The UMACK pile anchor has been proven at full scale in Aguçadoura providing station keeping to the CorPower C4 Wave Energy Converter since 2021,’ says VibroDrive+ Project Manager, Matt Dickson. ‘Able to provide >20MN of uplift holding capacity at only 35t of pile mass, the UMACK anchor offers a step change in reduced foundation package costs, and therefore LCoE, for wave, floating offshore wind and other floating structures projects around the globe. The use of vibrohammer technology is also key for projects to reduce environmental impacts during installations via both significantly reduced noise emissions and time/cost of pile installation.’
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Large-scale commercial deployment
Wave energy conversion (WEC) technology has potential to contribute to the renewable energy mix in the future.
‘The continued development of this technology through the VibroDrive+ project marks a significant milestone toward large-scale commercial deployment, which is exciting for all involved parties,’ says Anro Olivier, Project Manager at Dieseko Group.
The collaboration between the two companies started in 2021, when the first UMACK anchor supporting CorPower Ocean’s flagship wave energy device was successfully installed in Portugal with Dieseko’s 500MU vibratory hammer. This latest phase marks significant progress towards the companies’ shared vision of smarter, more sustainable technologies in the offshore sector.
Picture: Dieseko 500MU vibro hammer used for UMACK anchor installation in offshore wave energy project (photo by Dieseko Group).
