Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ARCHIME3 (An efficient floating structure and installation of offshore large wind turbines.)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2021-01-01 do 2021-12-31
Reaching these targets is challenged by the limitation of the area available using existing Bottom-Fixed technology, that requires shallow waters already occupied. Indeed, available space in shallow water imposes a limit of 112 GW, which is about 1/3 of the 2050 target.
Only new floating platforms can help us fulfil these objectives by enabling the installation of large turbines in deep waters. Floating wind will allow EU countries to exploit new areas of offshore-wind potential in deeper seas further from shore, where the resource is better as the wind blows both more consistently and at higher average speeds.
However, the installation of floating turbines still faces important challenges, being the most important the following:
- Floating wind still must drive costs (LCOE) down by x5.
- Construction of floating platforms require very large port infrastructure, only available in a few ports worldwide.
- Stability, safety and performance are compromised with bigger turbines (>15 MW).
As a solution to all these issues, we have patented disruptive concrete-based floating platform that enables the safest installation of the largest turbines with impressive cost cuts oof up to 50% in CAPEX and 40% in OPEX. Our platform is compatible with concrete caissons, enabling the fast execution of the construction without the need of special port infrastructures. Thanks to this, our solution is, to the best of our knowledge, the best technology today for the installation of the largest turbines (15-20 MW) in an efficient, affordable and safe manner.
The objectives we seek in this project called ARCHIME3, that has received funding from the EIC Accelerator Program are the following:
To demonstrate by calculations and physical model testing that the structure fulfils the industrial standards for > 15 MW turbines.
To certify the design of the platform (get the Approval In Principle)
To build and install a first real scale prototype
To validate the optimal performance of the floating platform in real operational conditions.
1.Desinb basis studies
2. Seakeeping studies
3. CDF studies
4. Hydrodynamic loads studies
5. Stability studies
6. Towline pull required & bollard pull analysis
7. Mooring design
8. Mooring studies
9. Turbine, tower, platform studies
11. Functional requirements
12. Design loads studies
13. Structural calculations
Besides, we have also performed an extensive testing camping with a physical model to demonstrate that the results of the in-silico studies (numerical modelling) correlate with the behavior of the platform when tested in a simulated environment (specialized water tanks that resemble the sea conditions).
We have patented a new concrete-based platform for the installation of floating wind turbines that offers outstanding advantages Vs competing technologies:
1) A dramatic reduction of costs in construction of a floating wind farm.
2) The possibility to complete the installation of several MWs in a matter of a few months.
3) A significant reduction of operation & maintenance costs, with an extended lifetime
4) A superior hydrodynamic performance, meaning an extraordinary safety and the highest possible efficiency in power generation.
5) Lower Levelized Cost of Energy.
Besides, our platform is the best-prepared technology for the installation of the next generation of mega turbines (>15 MW) in an efficient, affordable and safe manner.