Conclusion
In overall, the project has achieved its objectives and milestones, as stated in the Description of Action, by delivering two optimized, innovative substructure designs for 10 MW turbines that have been qualified to TRL of 5 through experimental validation in relevant environment. The two Selected Designs have also undergone an industrialization process to guarantee their MRL. A streamlined and KPI-based methodology for the evaluation and qualification process for steel and concrete substructures of floating substructures has been developed and applied to the four upscaled substructure concepts. The results from the above-mentioned processes has culminated into guidelines and recommended practices.
Final Event – WindEurope Conference & Exhibition 2019 in Bilbao
The market for FOWT are still in the development stage with a few full-scale prototypes and only in the 2MW range and several other concepts under design in the 5-6 MW range. The LIFES50+ ambition have been to go one-step further and advance well beyond the SoA with substructure design at TRL 5 for two concepts for very large FOWT (10MW). In addition, to develop and/or improve available cost analysis tools, by delivering comprehensive methodologies and multi-criteria cost calculation tool using a life cycle approach for design evaluation, including LCOE.
The outcome of the project has been to deliver mature floating substructure design (at TRL of 5), synchronized with the expected time-to-market of 10MW offshore wind turbines technology, increased scientific and industrial knowledge on numerical and experimental design methodologies and procedures. The overall effect is to have the technology basis available to achieve LCOE reduction of more than 15% just through larger wind turbines in a 5-years horizon. Finally, the LIFES50+ project have enhanced the development of offshore wind farms, and by this contributing to increasing the share of renewable generation in the power system. Assuming that this replaces generation from conventional coal fired power plants in the long terms, emissions will be reduced with some several million tonnes of CO2 for every TWh of offshore wind generation.
