Access Systems to Marine Energy Production Units. Review and New Challenges

Abstract

The search of new energy production forms in order to fulfil the raising energetic demand and diminish the environmental issues derived from the production of energy by using non-renewable resources results in the development of new technologies like the ones related to the offshore marine renewable energy. The interest in the exploitation of this energy source is tangible according to the fact that different projects are going to be developed in the following years, both in Europe and worldwide.

Despite having a huge potential [13] as a very efficient way of energy production, there are several challenges regarding the economic viability of this kind of infrastructure. In this way, the cost reduction associated to maintenance and installation fixings is crucial. The disposal of staff transfer systems between a ship and the generator is one of the main factors that could contribute to the cost reduction. Simultaneously, this system should guarantee the security and being effective in the widest range of sea conditions possible.

In this work a review of the main options available in the market is done. Taking into account for each of them the work ranges and the kind of installation, but also security and other important factors that will affect the economic viability of this energy production way. Likewise, new ideas, in ongoing development, will be analysed, which are related to the staff transferring onto floating infrastructures, being this a non-appropriately solved problem these days.