ICONN is a unique European Industrial Doctorate initiative to meet the current and future demand for highly skilled offshore wind and wave energy engineers by developing and advancing European capacity in the design, development and performance optimisation for Offshore Wind and Wave Energy installations. The initiative is strongly shaped by active participation from industries, and has markedly enhanced European capacity in offshore renewable energy at a critical juncture in
time when Europe strives to occupy a lead market position globally in this sector.
The three scientific work packages, which scaffold the individual research activities, progress from addressing specific challenges and capability deficiencies that impede the effective and efficient deployment of offshore wind and wave infrastructures (floating systems and optimisation of power take-off (PTO) ) through to activities that seek to create, and innovate in, new control algorithms and in operational efficiency domain (fatigue control, new algorithms for control of PTO).
The delivered training and skillset development contributes strongly to EC strategic research, training and innovation strategies as established through the Europe 2020 strategy, Blue Energy, and in EC Innovation Union goals.
New and highly original innovations and advances in scientific knowledge have been realised, disseminated and licensed from within the ICONN project activities, and have helped the industry participants significantly advance their technological and commercial platforms, and enhanced their future viability and potential.
Three ESR's have been extensively and comprehensively trained in, and exposed to, cutting edge academic and industrial research, innovation, practices, facilities, deployments and collaborative networks. Lasting training networks and collaborations have been formed.
The ICONN EID has proven to be a very valuable, highly impactful, career enhancing activity for all the ESRs, beneficiaries, partners, participants and ICONN project associates.