Resilient Integrated-Coupled FOW platform design methodology (ResIn)

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This project will enhance the design and development of floating offshore renewables, in particular offshore floating wind as commercially viable electricity infrastructure through a risk based approach allowing to build resilience against extreme events. The socio-economic challenge is the increasing energy need in emerging economies, such as China, which causes grave air pollution and CO2 emissions. The project work focusses on China, where heavy air pollution alone is estimated to have caused 2.2million premature deaths. Sustainable energy generation, thus replacing coal-fired power plants is one of the solutions to address this problem. In China specifically, the energy demand is at its highest along the industrialised and densely populated coastal regions. The challenge for a renewable energy supply is that the solar, wind and hydro resource are primarily located in the NW and SW of China and electricity transmission via the grid is already constrained. The Chinese government therefore has identified offshore wind energy as one of the primary energy resources with a potential of over 500GW of installed capacity, capable to produce up to 1,500 TWh of electricity per year, which would offset as many as 340 coal-fired power stations. Whilst initial installations in shallow waters near the coast have been made, over 1/3rd of the resource is located in deeper water (>40m) and will require floating installations. Offshore wind energy generation is currently more expensive than fossil fuels in China, and the risk of typhoon damage is high. The project has a fourfold approach: 1.Enhanced environmental modelling to accurately determine extreme loadings; 2. Assessment of novel, porous floating offshore wind structures and active damping mechanisms; 3. Enhanced numerical modelling techniques to efficiently calculate the complex coupled behaviour of floating wind turbines; 4. Risk based optimisation of devised designs and engineering implications. This combined approach is carried through distinguished scientific research expertise and leading industry partners in the field of offshore wind. To maximise the impact and benefits of this research the project places large emphasis on knowledge exchange activities, industry liaison and the establishment of cross-country research capacity to foster the global commercial realisation of offshore floating wind energy. The project is an interdisciplinary, cross-country collaboration with leading research Universities and industry partners. The academic expertise from the University of Exeter, the University of Edinburgh and University of Bath in the areas of Environmental assessment and modelling, Hydrodynamic design, Advanced computational modelling and risk based reliability engineering is matched with Dalian University of Technology and Zhejiang University as two of the leading Chinese research institutions in Ocean Engineering and Offshore Renewable Energy. Whilst the project carries out fundamental engineering research, strong industrial partnerships in both countries will facilitate industry advice and subsequent research uptake. The strong industrial UK support for this project through the ORE Catapult, DNV-GL, ITPE is matched with wider international support through EDF (France) and DSA (Canada), as well as the Chinese project partners MingYang Wind Power Ltd (3rd largest wind manufacturer in China), the National Ocean Technology Centre, NOTC, (institutional responsibility for marine spatial planning) and the 'Shanghai Investigation, Design & Research Institute', SIDRI (State-owned offshore wind project developer in China), demonstrates the timeliness and industrial relevance of the proposed research. All partners are committed to support the establishment of a long-lasting research base to develop resilient and cost effective offshore floating wind energy systems through collaborative research and innovation efforts, as well as capacity building and knowledge exchange.