Posters

Abstract

Confident of overcoming technological challenges and generating energy at competitive prices, the GWEC foresees the installation of 16.5 GW floating by 2030. In a precommercial Floating Offshore Wind Turbine (FOWT), the cost associated with the platform and the mooring/anchoring system represents 35% of the Capital Expenditures (CAPEX). The operational expenses (OPEX) of a deep water offshore wind farm represents 30% of the LCOE. An average maritime wind farm of 500 MW composed of 50 wind turbines will have several hundred mooring lines and anchors. They are critical systems for the stability of the wind turbine and their sensorization and inspection is an extensive, complicated and expensive task. The MOORINGSENSE project develops several technological solutions focusing on the structural integrity management of the mooring system with the purpose of reducing OPEX and increasing energy production. The solutions are based on measuring the position of the platform with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technology, which allows knowing the position with sufficient precision (<20 cm) and frequency rate (1 Hz) in a cost effective way. Among these solutions is a continuous Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) system that builds specific damage detection models for each Environmental and Operational Condition (EOC), based on data collected from the GNSS sensors, environmental buoys and wind turbine control. Simulations show that at least certain faulty conditions of FOWT's mooring system can be detected by observing deviations in the platform movement. These results are being validated with data obtained in a tank test with a scaled prototype of the FOWT. Final validation should be done once field data is available. MOORINGSENSE has received funding from the EUROPEAN Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 851703.