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Opera, BV digital tool for floating unit verification

NEW: Opera, our digital tool for floating unit verification 

Jun. 7 2021 - 4 min

As the energy transition advances and clean energy demands continue to grow, the offshore floating wind market is poised to provide an answer. Greater numbers of offshore floating wind farms are being built in deep water, with the aim of providing green electricity to countries worldwide. Several key commercial projects have already been announced, with expected clean power production starting up between 2025 and 2030.

However, floating offshore wind farms face unique challenges when compared to fixed units, notably the need to consistently withstand harsh environmental conditions. Before construction and installation, asset owners must ensure that all components of their floating assets have been properly designed and certified.

Introducing Opera, our digital modeling solution

Bureau Veritas developed Opera to help clients verify the design of their floating offshore assets and wind farms. Opera is a fully integrated modeling solution that accounts for all components of a floating asset or wind turbine, covering everything from mooring systems to blades. It addresses the complex physics of aero-hydro couplings and multibody interactions, and manages sea-keeping and station-keeping for floating structures.

The product of a decade’s worth of research, Opera offers asset owners a range of new capabilities that includes both a comprehensive overview and in-depth understanding of their project. The tool can perform integrated load analysis for all types of couplings, provide support for design review teams and client requests, and offer independent verification services. In addition, Opera is flexible, adapting to the needs of clients working on innovative floating projects and designs.

What Opera brings to our clients

Because Opera was built in partnership with our clients, it is designed to meet their needs, performing all the calculations needed to certify an offshore floating asset. This gives project developers, designers and operators the peace of mind to know that their projects have been maximally de-risked. Following design certification, Bureau Veritas can also provide site condition assessments and project monitoring from construction through to operations.

Bureau Veritas is especially proud of the role Opera will play in helping offshore actors gain access to sustainable energy from floating wind farms. We look forward to supporting our clients’ commitments to transitioning into an era of green, low-carbon operations.