[Korea Land Daily Interview] Guillaume Le Maréchal, BadaEnergy's Project Director of Gray Whale 3
[Interview] Guillaume
Le Maréchal, BadaEnergy's Project Director of Gray Whale 3
“We expect to bring Korean-style floating offshore wind structures
to the overseas markets and finally lead the global
market”
n BadaEnergy will develop and apply cutting-edge engineering
technology through one-team spirit
n Offshore wind development will drive job creation and
revitalization of local economy
[Korea Land Daily | Jo Seong-gu] The Korea Land Daily met with Guillaume Le Maréchal,
BadaEnergy's Project Director of the Gray Whale 3 floating offshore wind
project, to learn more about floating offshore wind energy, dubbed as
next-generation technologies.
- Why is a
floating offshore wind considered a next-generation technology?
▲ It literally refers to the installation of wind turbines on a body
floating in the sea. It can be set up in further offshore and in deeper waters
with a depth of more than 100 meters, making it possible to efficiently produce
electricity, as it benefits from stronger and more regular winds. Floating
offshore wind energy is the next-generation clean energy suitable for building
a massive-scale power complex because it is located far from the coast, which
reduces impact on the marine ecosystem and inconvenience to residents. In order
to maintain a floating turbine that continues producing electricity in a
turbulent sea environment and weather, advanced technologies and strategies are
required. For now, large-scale commercial floating offshore wind farms are in
their early stages of development.
- Why are
three companies, TotalEnergies, Corio and SK Ecoplant jointly developing
floating offshore wind farms in Korea?
▲ Geographically, Korea is surrounded by the sea on three sides, and
industrially, has full-fledged shipbuilding, marine, and heavy industries,
making itself one of the world’s most attractive locations with great potential
for offshore wind energy. In order to carry out large-scale offshore wind
projects, which must be approached from a long-term perspective, we have
determined that a special partnership is needed in consideration of the
characteristics of ‘floating’ and the Korea’s distinctive circumstances.
Corio
Generation is a specialist offshore wind developer that has developed offshore
wind farms in a variety of regions around the world, with the world's largest project
pipeline of more than 30 gigawatts (GW), while TotalEnergies specializes in a
variety of floating facilities based on Oil and Gas expertise accumulated for a
century in the energy field and has an in-depth understanding of Korean
shipyards. SK ecoplant is Korea's leading developer that has expertise in civil,
electrical, and maritime construction, as well as possesses a close
relationship with the supply chain in Korea. The tripartite partnership can
create synergy optimized for the success of offshore wind projects.
- What
differentiates the Gray Whale Floating Offshore Wind Project?
▲ Constructing and operating offshore wind farms involve not only the
turbine industry but also a variety of technologies and industries. BadaEnergy
seeks to build a new industrial ecosystem through active cooperation with
Korean companies to forge a one-team spirit based on best localization strategy
for all stages of the offshore wind project. In line with the abovementioned
efforts by BadaEnergy to take into account Korea’s characteristics, local
businesses that are well aware of the regional characteristics can provide
solutions more suitable for the region in terms of engineering, enabling
efficient development.
For the Gray
Whale 3, a project with the first phase being carried out, we have worked
together with HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), starting in the process of the
front-end engineering design (FEED). All of us, including BadaEnergy team, are
striving together to achieve the most optimized design and industrialization
that consider every aspect from the shipyards, and installation constraints.
- What are
your plans (remaining procedures) and missions in the Korean wind market?
W
▲ We are continuing to work together with HHI and Turbine
manufacturer, as a task force, to detail the construction processes and lower
the price and optimize schedule. We are also working on the FEED of the export
system (onshore and offshore).
At the end of
last year, we submitted the final report of environmental impact assessment
(EIA) on the Ulsan floating offshore wind projects—Gray Whale 1, 2, 3—to the government
concerned. An EIA is a process of evaluating the potential environmental
impacts of a proposed project or development and taking measures to decrease
the impacts.
BadaEnergy
strives to know more about stakeholders, including villagers, and aims for a
mutually cooperative relationship that can contribute to the development of the
local economy. Offshore wind projects, including the Gray Whale, can serve as a
future growth engine that will create jobs and revitalize the local economy. We
hope that relevant Korean businesses will participate in the floating offshore
wind projects and sharpen their competitive edges in the field, thereby
becoming stepping stones to lead the vast global market.
Link to the original article.