Rolls Royce + EDF Energy

Marine Turbine Generator Project

Marine Turbine Generator Project.

“Rolls Royce and EDF Energy commissioned the longest antifoul coating trial of its kind to quantify marine coating performance. After two years, Coppercoat was in the top two for preventing fouling, and substrate damage. After five years, Coppercoat was the best-performing coating, outright. At the completion of the trial, Coppercoat had lost 4.30% of its thickness whereas ablative antifouling coatings had eroded 90 to 100% of their biocide content into the marine environment”.

EDF Energy

Project + Year

  • 2018. Rolls Royce + EDF Energy commissioned independent trials to establish the best-performing antifoul coating for offshore power generation infrastructure

Project Information

  • Rolls Royce + EDF Energy are leaders in European offshore renewable energy generation utilising wind and tide

  • Plymouth Marine Laboratory conducted a five-year independent trial applying antifoul coatings from all recognised manufacturers to carbon steel panels

  • The trial sought to establish which coating which was most effective in preventing biofouling and protecting steel substrates from corrosion

  • The trial was conducted in a tidal race at a depth of 40 metres off Orkney in Scotland

  • Upon completion of the trial the test panels had travelled the equivalent of 288,000 kilometres at 3.50 knots

Panel Substrate

  • Carbon steel coated with universal two-part epoxy anticorrosive coating.

Coating Selection

  • Coppercoat Multi-Season Antifoul Coating

Selection Criteria

  • Coatings must provide full efficacy fouling prevention and substrate protection performance for a minimum of five years being the predicted service interval for offshore infrastructure

Comparative Coating Performance

  • After 24 months, Coppercoat was ranked in the top two coatings for fouling prevention and substrate protection

  • After 60 months, Coppercoat was the best-performing coating for fouling prevention and substrate protection

  • Over five years, Coppercoat had lost 4.30% of its thickness

  • Over the same period, traditional antifouling paint panels shed 90 to 100% of their biocide content and lost 10 to 20% of their underlying two-part epoxy anticorrosive coating

Performance + Cost Analytics

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Project Management

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