The Green Entrans Mono-Column Wind (MC-7) and Mono-Column Installation (MINT) Solution

This proposal is for prototyping a technology that has been developed to both define a niche domain within Offshore Wind power generation but also to open up a viable economic path for the entire industry to expand its infrastructure base in a cost-effective way that is presently an impediment. The technology Green Entrans is developing achieves this by addressing the method with which the installations of Wind Generation towers are emplaced with depths from 50 meters up to 120 meters. This is presently cost prohibitive using the standard techniques used for shallower waters, and likewise, cost prohibitive using the techniques for much deeper waters that usually involving floating systems. The business case is thus built on a very clear gap in physical infrastructure based on conditions that exist on the continental shelves in the vast majority of offshore installations worldwide. Offshore wind remains one of the most promising alternative means of producing electrical energy consistently and with a minimal environmental impact. However, it has been held back by several strong obstacles to profitable growth. First is the relatively high cost of building up infrastructure at sufficient scale due to limited "real estate" (based on waters shallow enough to build towers using standard construction techniques such that the upfront costs can be absorbed profitably over time). This means that the most cost-effective installations tend to be quite close to the coastlines. The Green Entrans approach is a patented engineering solution that enables power generation providers to exploit at a lower cost, what is likely the most attractive zone for this infrastructure, as well as incentivizing them to expand on existing infrastructure, thus improving the competitiveness of offshore overall (through scale). This is thus a "niche" that can absolutely transform the overall viability of the entire industry sector.