21. Go With the Flow

From welding to wrapping: rethinking the offshore jointThe sound of welding hums steadily in the background at Smulders-HSM yard in Schiedam. Amid the sound of people working with steel, something profoundly different is being tested. Tim Kapteijn (Tree Composites) and Angeliki Christoforidou (TU Delft) discuss composite joints as a superior alternative to traditional welding of complex joints.Back in 2021, in a previous episode called ‘It’s like connecting steel tubes with duct tape’, GROW-to-GO already provided insight into testing the composite joint technology. At that stage, the WrapNode project was executing several lab tests on joints. This time, David de Jager visits the site where WrapNode II is performing medium-scale tests on a section of a jacket structure.Listen to the podcast and read our web magazine now at https://grow-to-go.nl/entries/202607-wrapnode2Or do you want to start with the previous edition go to https://grow-to-go.nl/entries/202111-wrapnode 

The moment the rotors begin to spin, you can feel it: the promise of doing things differently.In this new edition of GROW‑to‑GO, host David de Jager visits the Pilot-CD-project at Drone Port Reusel to explore how innovation is quite literally taking flight. Joined by Thijs van ’t Geloof and Wouter Kloppenburg from Ampelmann, the conversation zooms in on a deceptively simple idea with powerful implications: using a heavy‑lift cargo drone to deliver maintenance materials exactly where and when they’re needed.Why does this matter? Because offshore wind maintenance isn’t only about fixing equipment, it’s about time, logistics, and efficiency long before the work even begins. Transporting tools and materials offshore is often slow, complex, and costly. Ampelmann’s drone solution challenges that reality by delivering faster, more safely, and with greater flexibility.Have a look at our web magazine at https://grow-to-go.nl/entries/202605-pilot-cd

Reimagining the offshore energy system Offshore wind delivers large volumes of renewable electricity, but the system behind it must be able to cope with mismatches between supply and demand. FlexH2 addresses this challenge head-on. Guus Pemen, Dongsheng Yang of TU Eindhoven and Yin Sun of both Shell and TU Eindhoven explain the core difficulty and introduce you to the FlexH2 demonstrator, a big step towards sustainable energy systems that are more flexible, efficient, and integrated. Have a look at our web magazine at https://grow-to-go.nl/202603-flexh2  

All preparations for the first offshore demonstration of the Vibrojet® monopile installation technique are in full swing when we meet Hein van Opstal, Paula van Lieshout and Pierre Bouchet of GBM Works. In ‘Go With the Flow’ you learn more about the technology, challenges and collaboration behind this promising technology for quieter, more efficient monopile installation at the Mammoet shipyard in Schiedam.Have a look at our web magazine at https://grow-to-go.nl/202601-simple3

Visiting the SIMOX Demonstration SiteGet an update on the SIMOX project. David de Jager visited the specially prepared SIMOX demonstration site at the Port of Amsterdam to meet two key people involved in the project: Ahmed Elkadi and Mark Post, both from Deltares. They tell you more about the activities of researchers and industry partners, who are installing and testing monopiles, side by side, using several innovative installation techniques. Have a look at our web magazine at https://grow-to-go.nl/202508-simox-iiAnd have a look at our short movie about the SIMOX Demonstration Site at https://grow-offshorewind.nl/newsitem/innovation-at-work 

Removal of old monopilesAt the end of a wind farm’s lifetime, everything has to be removed. Current practice is to cut the monopiles that support the wind turbines several meters below the seabed. In the second Hydraulic Pile Extraction Scale Tests (HyPE-ST 1.2) project, Anderson Peccin da Silva and Alba Rodríguez Piedrabuena, both from Deltares, are investigating a new hydraulic pile extraction technology. In ‘Under pressure’, they tell you more about this promising decommissioning technology.Have a look at our web magazine at https://grow-to-go.nl/202507-under-pressure 

Increasing the reliability of rotor bladesIn the last two decades, the length of the rotor blades for offshore wind turbines has increased significantly. Where we started with blade lengths ranging between 30 and 40 metres, we are now reaching 110-120 metres in length per blade, and this may go up towards an impressive 150 metres in the future. Despite efforts to improve control over the manufacturing process, defects still occur during production and operation that may lead to blade failures. This can significantly affect the wind farm's power output and repair costs. Therefore, the sector is looking for more reliable blades that can cope with the immense forces. Reason for David de Jager to visit Michiel Hagenbeek and Wim Castricum of TNO to dive into the world of rotor blades. Michiel runs blade models in a digital twin; Wim crawls inside actual blades to apply the sensors. Have a look at our web magazine at https://grow-to-go.nl/202504-blade-runner-and-blade-crawler

It's all about a safe tool for repair of rotor blades. Imagine that your wind turbine is installed offshore and provides significant amounts of wind energy. But then, one of the wind turbine's blades requires maintenance, or worse, gets damaged. You cannot simply take your ladder and climb up there to make the repairs like you would at home. So, Jeroen Tol and Wouter Kloppenburg from Ampelmann introduce their bright-blue “Puffer” in their production hall in Rotterdam harbour, a kind of oyster or mussel that folds around a rotor blade where you can safely stand in to do your repairs. Have a look at our web magazine at https://grow-to-go.nl/202501-the-world-is-your-oyster

Optimise the usage of space at the North Sea The North Sea seems empty, but nothing could be further from the truth. The sea is divided into parts, and each part has its destination, such as fishing, shipping routes, nature protection, mining, defence, etc. So, since the available space is limited, we need to work together if we want to tap into the vast potential of offshore wind energy. Listen to the podcast with Antonios Emmanouil and Sharon Tatman of Deltares and David de Jager of GROW. They talk about the multi-use of the North Sea in the Atlantic Basin facility at knowledge institute Deltares. https://grow-to-go.nl/202410-dare-to-share

Introducing a revolutionary connection design that is set to transform the monopile installation process – and morePresenting a simple yet revolutionary way to install monopiles, endorsed by industry leaders. Jan van der Tempel, CEO at Delft Offshore Turbine, and Sander Suur, design manager at Van Oord, share their insights on the simplicity and success of the slip joint technology in offshore wind.Have a look at our web magazine at https://grow-to-go.nl/get-down-on-it