The Basque Country is consolidating its position as the epicenter of innovation in offshore renewable energies through the INNOTEC project. An initiative promoted by Iberdrola Energía Sostenible that brings together companies such as GALEA and Recubrimientos Anticorrosivos MENDIETA, together with the TECNALIA technology center, with a common goal: to extend the useful life through the maintenance of metallic infrastructures in offshore wind farms by means of sustainable solutions.
Marine corrosion and maintenance of metallic infrastructures
Continuous exposure to salt water, high humidity and high winds generates progressive deterioration in metal components of offshore wind turbines. This phenomenon increases maintenance costs, reduces energy efficiency and compromises operational safety.
The newly developed system applies a duplex protection that integrates metallic zinc coatings with environmentally friendly organic layers. This technology aims to reduce maintenance interventions by up to 50%, saving time, resources and emissions.
The use of cork represents a technical solution because its natural structure provides elasticity, impermeability and thermal resistance, ideal characteristics for minimizing vibrations and thermal expansion in structures exposed to the marine environment. In addition, it is biodegradable, recyclable and free of volatile organic compounds(0% VOC), in line with European industrial decarbonization objectives.
The proximity of the Basque territory to ports and offshore test facilities allows the system to be validated in real conditions. This specialized industrial environment facilitates the development of technical solutions with direct application in the European offshore wind sector.
The next steps in the project include applying the system to new metal structures, adapting it for field maintenance activities, and validating it in a prototype exposed to a real marine environment. The combination of local technology, sustainability, and practical testing positions the Basque Country as a leading player in advanced offshore infrastructure protection.
Source and photo: Iberdrola