Pioneering the use of greener materials: FoundOcean
At Venterra, we are building a global services business, built around a series of companies with complementary skillsets and services, which share common technology, capital, and functional best practice. And we have ensured that sustainability is designed into the way the Group operates.
Here's a perspective from Coleen Grieg, Projects Engineering Manager at Venterra company FoundOcean, the experts in subsea grouting for the offshore energy construction industry.
My team is responsible for planning and delivering all the FoundOcean projects worldwide and the new build equipment… so we have a close working relationship with offshore wind developers and operators across the globe. While many clients continue to be very cost conscious, sustainability is definitely rising up the industry agenda, and playing an ever-more prominent role in the bidding and procurement process. We need to demonstrate to clients that we take the subject very seriously, and that we have programmes in place to minimise our impact. If we can also offer clients the option of greener products and services, all the better.
Our R&D team has pioneered several environmentally friendly solutions… the best example being the introduction of a hessian alternative to the standard polypropylene fabric formworks, which are used for the injection of a grout/cement mixture to create subsea structures.
This new material, developed in collaboration with partners in India, is strong and lightweight, as well as being organic and recyclable. We put it through a series of rigorous field tests at our Scottish headquarters, have used it commercially, and now offer it as an option to all clients. Similarly, we are working with another partner to develop and offer low-carbon cements. Currently, we are running tests on strength, mixability, and longevity, and hope to add them to our standard range in the coming months. Right now, these greener alternatives do cost more, with a cost premium of around 25%. But, as volumes increase, it is likely that the price differential will fall.
Often, the biggest impact we can make is to increase the efficiency of the installation process… When a wind farm is being installed, every hour counts. Vessel time is hugely expensive and has an environmental impact. So, anything that speeds up an installation brings multiple benefits, including sustainability benefits. Another of our innovations is a High-Output Recirculating Jet Mixer, which is capable of mixing grouts at up to twice the rate of earlier systems, and has enabled the super-fast installations of wind farm foundations. The self-contained unit also fits within a standard 20-foot container, which makes it quick and easy to lift, load, and transport.
We had already started on our sustainability journey, but becoming a member of the Venterra group was the push we needed… immediately, the subject was elevated higher up the business agenda, we were provided with expert support and guidance, as a member of the Venterra Sustainability and ESG Committee we were able to discuss options and approaches with peers from across the group, and we stepped-up the process of measuring and managing our sustainability performance. Of course, sustainability was always important, but being part of Venterra has enabled us to turn good intentions into concrete actions. We now have a great support network. It has also ensured that sustainability is factored into more of our decision making.
Ultimately, our goal is to be a net-zero business… we haven’t yet put a timescale on it, nor do we know the exact steps we will take to get there, but the commitment is strong, and we are continually moving forwards. In the past year, for example, we extended waste segregation across our entire operations – offshore as well as onshore – which was a considerable undertaking. We also invested in electric vehicles and charging points. On their own, these changes may not sound that impressive, but they are evidence of steady, incremental progress
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