Investigating Sustainable Operations & Maintenance Facilities and Port Redevelopment – RWE Offshore Wind
Company Information:
RWE Offshore Wind is part of the energy company RWE and produces electricity using wind turbines built at sea. It designs, builds and operates offshore wind farms in countries such as the UK, Germany and the USA. As one of the world’s largest offshore wind developers, it helps cut carbon emissions and fight climate change. RWE Offshore Wind also develops new technology, including floating wind turbines and recyclable blades, showing how science, engineering and sustainability can create clean energy for the future.
Project Overview
RWE Offshore Wind designs, builds, and operates offshore wind farms around the world. These wind farms require Operations and Maintenance (O&M) facilities and port infrastructure to support turbine servicing, storage, vessels, and equipment.
This project focuses on investigating how these facilities and ports can become more sustainable. The aim is to explore practical ways to reduce energy use, minimise waste, and improve efficiency while supporting future offshore wind operations.
Project Aim
To explore how offshore wind Operations and Maintenance facilities and associated port infrastructure could be made more sustainable, efficient, and future-ready.
Key Research Questions
• How do current O&M facilities and ports support offshore wind farms?
• Where is energy currently used within these facilities?
• How could energy use be reduced or made more efficient?
• How could waste be reduced or better managed?
• What sustainable technologies or design improvements could be introduced?
• How can port redevelopment support future offshore wind growth?
What You Will Do
• Carry out desk-based research into sustainable facility design and port redevelopment
• Visit sites where possible to observe current operations
• Meet team members in different roles to understand how facilities are used
• Identify areas where energy use and waste could be reduced
• Research technologies or approaches that improve efficiency and sustainability
• Analyse findings and develop practical recommendations
• Produce a report that can be presented to the team
Science, Engineering and Technical Understanding
• Learning how offshore wind facilities operate
• Understanding energy efficiency and sustainability principles
• Analysing infrastructure systems and operational processes
• Evaluating environmental impact and carbon reduction strategies
• Linking engineering decisions to sustainability outcomes
Planning and Organisation
You will:
• Break the project into stages (research, site observations, analysis, recommendations)
• Record observations from meetings and visits
• Use evidence to support recommendations
• Manage your time independently
Skills Developed
• Engineering awareness
• Research and analysis
• Sustainable design thinking
• Independent working
• Professional communication and presentation skills
Final Outputs
• A written report
• Analysis of current O&M and port sustainability practices
• Practical recommendations for reducing energy use and waste
• A presentation-ready report for the RWE team
Reflection and Evaluation
Your report may include:
• What you learned about offshore wind operations
• Key sustainability challenges identified
• How realistic and achievable your recommendations are
• What further improvements could be explored in the future
https://www.crestawards.org/resources/crest-gold-student-guide