Shaping the future of offshore floating wind energy
Regulatory bodies worldwide recognize our certifications and test reports for wind turbines. As a single certification partner, UL Solutions can help you access global markets and accelerate your speed to market. Learn more about our offerings.
Offshore floating wind turbine certification services
Offshore floating wind turbines support the future of renewable energy. As wind energy technologies advance, manufacturers must demonstrate continued safety, reliability and performance. As safety science experts, we help customers navigate these risks through certification for products, components and grid code compliance. We also offer turbine life extension services. UL certification allows the extension of the operation of the wind turbine and demonstrates the reliability of renewable energy technology.
Floating wind turbine certification
Regulatory bodies around the world recognize UL certifications and test reports for floating wind turbines. Our technical teams’ expertise and global reach enable us to offer integrated test plans to assess products to requirements from multiple standards. Project certification, part of the licensing process for floating offshore wind farms, helps demonstrate that design, manufacturing, transport, installation, commissioning and operation comply with the applicable requirements.
Type certification
Type certifications confirm that a floating wind turbine type is designed, documented and manufactured in conformity with specific standards and site conditions. In addition, type certification covers the erection procedures, as well as the installation and maintenance of the wind turbine. A type certificate denotes a fully independent assessment of a wind turbine for the duration of its design lifetime. Finally, a type certificate provides traceability for the applicable documentation for design, testing and manufacturing.
Component certification
Component certification applies to the floating wind turbine’s major structural, mechanical and/or electrical components, such as the frequency converter, transformer, generator, tower, rotor blade and gearbox. UL Solutions evaluates in order to verify that the specific component is designed, documented, manufactured and tested in conformity with the applicable standards and technical requirements. Component certification is a useful tool for component manufacturers to provide original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) traceability for their design assumptions, testing and manufacturing processes. A certified component can easily integrate into an OEM’s supply chain.
Grid code compliance certification
UL Solutions provides certification per several national and international grid codes. With more than 10 years of experience, we serve our customers by offering customized resources that support grid integration and energy systems.
Turbine life extension services
Turbine life assessment and extension services from UL Solutions help owners make intelligent, informed decisions concerning operations, maintenance and repair, and repowering to maximize the value of operating wind assets.
Floating offshore wind turbine schemes and standards
UL Solutions is a trusted partner powering global success and safer, more secure innovation. We engage with several major national and international committees transforming the future of wind energy, including, but not limited to:
- ABS Guide for Building and Classing – Floating offshore wind turbine installations
- American Wind Energy Association (AWEA)
- Black & Veatch (BV) – Classification and certification of floating offshore wind turbines
- Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)
- BSH – German Maritime Authority
- ClassNK – Guidelines for Offshore Floating Wind Turbines
- DAkkS – National accreditation body of the Federal Republic of Germany
- Danish Energy Agency (DEA)
- DKE – German Commission for Electrotechnical, Electronic, and Information Technologies of DIN and VDE
- Det Norske Veritas (DNV) and Germanischer Lloyd (GL) (DNVGL) – Floating wind turbine structures
- DPInst – Committee of German Type Approval Body
- FGW – Fördergesellschaft Windenergie und andere Dezentrale Energien
- International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)
- Conformity testing and certification
- Design requirements for floating offshore wind turbines
- International Electrotechnical Commission Renewable Energy (IECRE)
- International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
- Korea Energy Agency (KEA)
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Current wind energy certification projects
Massive offshore wind organizations around the world have appointed UL Solutions to collaborate on wind certification, bringing safety science to life to help transform the global future of renewable energy.
Borkum Riffgrund III and Gode Wind III certification
Ørsted, the world’s largest offshore wind developer, has selected UL Solutions to certify turbines and foundations for 900 MW Borkum Riffgrund 3 and 242 MW Gode Wind 3 projects.
Wind farm certification with RWE Offshore Wind Poland
UL Solutions is working with RWE Offshore Wind Poland to initialize the first steps for a project certification of its 350 MW wind farm, FEW BALTIC II, in the Polish Baltic Sea. The offshore wind project aims to further Poland’s transition to renewable energy.