Design of support structures for offshore wind turbines - Wind Power Generation and Wind Turbine Design - page 589

Figure 36: Access to offshore structure with OAS.
Figure 37: Ampelmann system for accessing offshore wind turbines.
needed, saving steel on each single support structure. The Ampelmann is shown in
Fig. 37 .
Both systems allow safe transfer in sea states up to H s = 2.5 m, enabling main-
tenance crews to access the turbines over 90% of the year.
6.2 Offshore wind farm aspects
In this chapter the design of support structures was the main theme. The support
structures and their turbines make up the offshore wind farm. The design of the
offshore wind farm as a whole also has impact on the single support structures.
The most pronounced items are summarised here.
6.2.1 Wind farm layout
The offshore wind farm layout is fi rst and foremost determined by the consented
stretch of seabed available for the farm. But within this area, optimisation on
farm level is possible. The fi rst design goal is to place the turbines close to each
other to limit cable length, and as far apart as possible to increase power capture.