Function
Front-end engineering and design (FEED) studies address areas of wind farm system design and develop the concept of the wind farm in advance of procurement, contracting and construction.
Earlier on in the process, pre-FEED studies are used to develop an outline concept of the project for the purposes for defining the consent envelope and to inform environmental impact studies.
The FEED study is continually refined through the development process and is ultimately used to frame and process substantial engineering and procurement decisions.
Who is involved
Engineering and consultancy services are conducted by specialist suppliers contracted by the developer.
Key facts
Earlier on in the process, concept and pre-FEED studies are used to develop an outline concept of the project for the purposes for defining the consent envelope and to inform environmental surveys.
The FEED study is continually refined through the development process and is ultimately used to inform substantial engineering and procurement decisions.
Key parameters such as turbine size, foundation type, wind farm layout, substation design, electrical system and grid connection methods are considered to minimise the project’s levelised cost of energy (LCOE).
Included are the planning of onshore and offshore operations, port and vessel strategies, determining contracting methodologies and the development of key risk management and health and safety procedures.
The FEED study seeks to understand the total wind farm system in an integrated way and to consider the impact of engineering decisions on the LCOE, and to ensure that engineering decisions take full cognisance of environmental and consenting risks and impacts.
The FEED study is a multi-disciplinary process that requires extensive communication and coordination, often across multiple teams and organisations.
The outputs of FEED studies are used to procure and construct offshore wind farms.
Some projects consider integrating floating offshore wind turbines with co-located batteries or green hydrogen generation, which requires additional engineering considerations.
Notable differences for floating
Developers of early floating offshore wind projects are likely to conduct more detailed FEED studies, and hence incur higher FEED costs, because floating offshore wind project norms have not yet been established. The detail and cost of FEED studies will decrease as developers gain more experience and designs and operational practices become more established.
