CTO

The partners participating in the Circular Transition in Offshore Wind (CTO) project wish to prepare the industry for the end of the useful life of offshore wind farms. Within this context, the aim is to  analyse the impact of offshore wind turbines throughout their entire life cycle, identify technical and societal challenges, and integrate the insights gained into the design of new wind farms.

The project involves the preparation of a wide range of potential scenarios for the decommissioning of offshore wind turbines. It is aimed at determining what offshore activities are necessary to decommission offshore wind turbines. On the basis of the results, further selection of relevant scenario sets will take place. 

The choice of materials also has a major impact on the lifespan and sustainability of offshore wind turbines and cables. The project explores these aspects in detail and examines the onshore processes which could have an impact on them. Attention is not just paid to the technical aspects, but also to the sustainability aspects.

In this context, the project partners also study the material flows within the life cycle of offshore wind energy. The focus is on the ecological, economic and social sustainability of the selected scenarios. In addition, a digital Building Information Model (BIM) for offshore wind turbines will be developed throughout the project. 

All insights gathered by the project partners in the course of the project will eventually be compiled and serve as a basis for the formulation of conclusions and recommendations for the future.