SEAFLOWER: Strategies for the Exploitation of Anchors for FLoating Offshore Wind Energy Reaping

MSCA-IF-2019 - Individual Fellowships Context: Offshore geotechnics

Abstract

Actively taking part to the debate on the future energy supply in Europe, SEAFLOWER proposes strategies to exploit anchor foundations for floating offshore wind turbines. Effective solutions can be drawn from the offshore oil and gas industry, where they have been made available over the last three decades. Offshore wind energy developments have distinct requirements on anchoring systems, and a systematic study to aid with a rational transfer of technology between the two energy sectors has not yet been undertaken. SEAFLOWER focuses on this, through a Finite Element (FE) study built on a rich database of consistent experimental evidences. To account for the uncertainties intrinsic to any offshore foundation problems and any technology transfers, an innovative probabilistic framework is used, using meta-modelling techniques. The objective is to define a numerical procedure that can store past experience on anchor foundations and make it available to the needs of the floating offshore wind market. SEAFLOWER addresses the actual phase of FOWT pre-commercial development and the procedure overall contributes towards overcoming the actual technical barriers to the deployment of offshore wind in deep waters.

Project duration

2021-2024

Fellow: Alessio Mentani

Supervisor: Laura Govoni

 

Outgoing: Centre for Offshore Foundation Systems, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia. Local Supervisor: Christophe Gaudin

Secondment: National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment, Grenoble, France, Local Supervisor: Frank Bourrier

 

Coordinator

DICAM - University of Bologna

Budget

Euro 257 209,92

Sito web

https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/891826/it