The studies are part of the Floating Wind Joint Industry Project, supported by the Scottish Government, DONG Energy, E.ON, Eolfi, innogy and Statoil, to better understand the anticipated risks and opportunities of developing floating wind farms at commercial scale.
“Floating wind presents an opportunity to harness strong wind resource in deep water locations, unlocking new markets for offshore wind. However, a number of novel challenges will need to be addressed in order to deploy floating wind turbines at commercial scale. These projects will aim to assess these challenges and identify future innovation priorities for the sector,” said Rhodri James , Manager at the Carbon Trust.
The key objective of the Electrical System Challenges for Floating Wind Farms project is to undertake an assessment of the key electrical system challenges for floating wind farms, including deepwater substations, dynamic cables, cable connectors, and array cable layout and burial.
Furthermore, The Mooring System Challenges for Floating Wind Farms project aims to assess the key challenges and opportunities for optimisation in the mooring systems for floating offshore wind farms, including both catenary and tension configurations, anchors, and associated auxiliary components.
Finally, the Infrastructural and Logistical Challenges for Floating Wind Farms will investigate the key infrastructure requirements and logistical challenges for the construction and maintenance of commercial-scale floating offshore wind farms.
Proposals can be submitted by 10 February.