Protective Coatings for Offshore Wind Energy Devices

What are the current offshore standards and commercial specifications used in the German OWEA industry? A new paper reviews 34 commercial coating specifications.

Coating specifications for offshore wind energy devices (OWEAs) are still based on specifications for the offshore oil and gas industry. Recently, two standards, developed for OWEA in the German offshore section (North Sea and Baltic Sea), were issued. A new article reviews current offshore standards and commercial specifications used in the German OWEA industry. Stresses are defined for different zones of the structures. Specified coating systems for different stresses, including testing methods, are discussed. A review of 34 commercial coating specifications for OWEA in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea is provided.

Requirements and trends

Evaluation parameters include number of layers, dry film thickness, and binder types for different coats. Special coating requirements are discussed, namely impact resistance, abrasion resistance, icing/deicing performance, low friction, color and gloss stability, and low-temperature performance. Finally, trends for the utilization of thermal spray metals are reviewed.