More safety for offshore maintenance personnel

Development of a cleaning robot for offshore wind turbines

Offshore wind turbines have become an integral part of energy generation in Germany. They play an important role in power generation, particularly in northern Germany, and require regular maintenance. Biological deposits (biofouling) on the ladders at the access jetty to the wind turbine, the so-called boat landing, pose a high risk for the maintenance crew when climbing over and up. Up to now, the ladders have only been cleaned after a maintenance visit. During an additional outing, the ladders are cleaned manually with a high-pressure lance – a considerable logistical and financial effort.

hochtechnic GmbH and the University of Applied Sciences Emden/Leer have set themselves the goal of developing a cleaning robot specially adapted to the boat landing of offshore wind turbines. This robot will be able to be used during the annual maintenance of a wind turbine to clean the ladders independently before the crew crosses over. The ladders can be moved up and down independently of the tide, and parts lying under water are also cleaned. The robot is powered by electricity from the wind turbine and seawater.

Date:
23.03.2025

Zurück zur ProjektÜbersicht