Blue Energy

Since the first offshore wind development in Belgium in 2000 (C-Power offshore wind farm | IMDC), IMDC has assisted project developers, transmission grid operators, national authorities, marine contractors and other consultants through the different phases – from feasibility to sustainable decommissioning – of their Blue Energy projects.

IMDC has over 20 years’ experience in offshore energy projects, contributing to the development of more than 20 GW offshore energy and to the engineering and installation of more than 4,000 km of subsea power cables. A non-exhaustive list of IMDC’ clients is Elia Asset, National Grid, 50Hertz, RTE, Red Electrica, Engie, Elicio, Iberdrola, Oceans Wind, POM West-Vlaanderen, Shinfox Energy, TERAS, Fabricom / Equans, Smulders, Les Eoliennes en Mer, Total, Terna energy, Cobrawind, Parkwind, C-Power, Belgian federal government (FPS Economie), Otary, Prysmian, Storengy, Colruyt Group.

IMDC is strongly engaged in research and development initiatives, via both internal programs and national / European innovation calls, related to scour protection, subsea cables and ocean energy. Innovative projects such as Sustainable energy at Seaports, BluERA, BOPTIC, ProBucket Project, Marine Ecosystem Performance Framework, represent the present and the future of the Blue energy industry.

With its international and multidisciplinary expertise, as Owner’s Engineer and Marine Consultant, we can offer an integrated approach covering a wide range of aspects required during the different phases of the realisation of a project. A non-exhaustive list of IMDC’ competences, validated by project references can be found below:

Site conditions: soil and water

  • Desktop, feasibility, site layout and Design Basis 
  • Metocean and Hydrodynamics conditions 
  • Interpretation of geophysical and geotechnical data and integration in ground models 
  • Seabed morphology and morphodynamics 
  • Procurement, coordination and supervision of offshore geophysical, geotechnical, metocean and environmental surveys 
  • LCOE study and project layout optimization

Environmental studies (Water Computing | IMDC)

  • Environmental Impact Assessments and permitting for all offshore activities
  • Nature Inclusive Design: engineering and consultancy
  • Environmental monitoring (bird, water quality, flora and fauna …)
  • Plume and turbidity modelling
  • Noise modelling
  • Pollutant modelling
  • Macro & micro-plastics modelling
  • Multi-use offshore and aquaculture

Subsea cables and interconnectors – from feasibility to O&M

  • Cable route and landfall selection
  • Cable Burial Risk Assessment and Burial Assessment Technique
  • Seabed morphodynamics and marine traffic
  • FEED method statements and landfall concept designs
  • Cable dynamics and installation analysis (OrcaFlex)
  • Preparation and coordination of field investigations and EPCI tenders
  • Offshore client reps and installation coordination

Scour assessment and protection

  • Scour assessment
  • Conceptual, tender and detailed design (Static & dynamic scour)
  • Physical model tests
  • Eco-scour design
  • Volume estimate and CAPEX
  • Installation coordination and supervision Environmental Impact Assessments and permitting for all offshore activities

Constructability and O&M

  • Constructability review assessment
  • CFD analysis load-out and transportation
  • Mooring analysis and cable analysis (by using OrcaFlex)
  • Weather downtime, workability and forecasts analysis
  • O&M plans and coordination

Artificial Islands - from feasibility to O&M (Marine, Dredging & Port Engineering | IMDC)

  • Scour assessment
  • Conceptual, tender and detailed design (Static & dynamic scour)
  • Physical model tests
  • Eco-scour design
  • Volume estimate and CAPEX
  • Installation coordination and supervision Environmental Impact Assessments and permitting for all offshore activities

Wave and Tidal energy (Coasts & Estuaries | IMDC)

  • From feasibility to pilot projects 
  • Wave / tidal resource assessment and energy production
  • CFD analysis and sedimentation

Circular design and sustainable decommissioning

  • Auction and EPCI tenders
  • Environmental and circular indicators and tenders criteria
  • Sustainable Decommissioning plan

Source: Blade Made Blade Made | RE-USE.EU