ECOncrete Tech Ltd and LafargeHolcim (Holcim) in the US have joined forces to design and produce an ecologically beneficial concrete scour protection unit for offshore wind turbine foundations.
The Biden Administration set the goal of creating 30GW of offshore wind by 2030 while protecting biodiversity and promoting ocean co-use, an effort which, to achieve sustainably, should use best available technologies to ensure the health of marine environment and species. The scour protection developed by this partnership would be the first, and currently, only structural solution to address the ecological impacts of offshore wind turbines on the marine environment, enabling a more sustainable industry and healthier oceans, says ECOncrete Tech Ltd.
Scour protections units are designed to protect sediments from being swept away by currents, and are often installed in a mound to protect the turbines' foundations. This kind of concrete infrastructure has a large impact on sensitive benthic, or seabed, ecosystems.
“For LafargeHolcim in the US, we recognise that there are many paths to achieving our net zero commitment, and most require innovative partnerships and out-of-the-box thinking,” said Josep Maset, VP of Commercial Excellence at LafargeHolcim in the US. “The work we’re doing with ECOncrete Tech is a notable example of searching for solutions that enable increased use of renewable energy in an environmentally responsible way.”
This three-year joint R&D project began in May 2021 and is funded by a grant from the Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Energy programme.
