The use of wind power is in a period of rapid growth worldwide and wind energy systems have emerged as a promising technology for utilizing offshore wind resources for the large scale generation of electricity. Drawing upon the maturity of wind turbine and floater technologies developed by the wind energy and oil and gas industries, respectively, large offshore wind energy systems have been dev...

With the increasing demand of electric power and the need of reducing greenhouse gas emission, the importance of turning wind energy at sea into electric power has never been more evident. For example, China is vigorously studying and pursuing the potential of wind energy to lessen dependence of coal consumption (McElroy et al., 2009). The White Paper on Energy (DTI, 2007) lays out an ambitious...

This paper considers the technical and practical challenges involved in modelling emerging engineering problems. The inherent uncertainty and potential for change in operating environment and procedures adds significant complexity to the model development process. This is demonstrated by considering the development of a model to quantify the uncertainty associated with the influence of the wind...

Part I. Research Significance and Objectives The overarching objective of this research is to lay the foundation for a long-term research program aimed at better understanding the dynamics and optimal control of airborne (tethered) wind energy systems. Airborne wind energy systems (AWEs), which replace conventional towers with tethers, provide the capacity to harness wind at high altitudes, whe...

Currently, floating wind turbines (FWTs) may be the more economical and suitable systems with which to exploit offshore wind energy in deep waters. Among the various types of floating foundations for offshore wind farms, a tension leg platform (TLP) foundation can provide a relatively stable platform for currently available offshore wind turbines without requiring major modifications. In this s...

Against the backdrop of increasing energy demands, the threat of climate change and dwindling fuel reserves, finding reliable, diverse, sustainable/renewable, affordable energy resources has become a priority for many countries. Marine energy conversion systems are at the forefront of providing such a resource. Most marine renewable energy conversion systems require tribological components to c...

Offshore wind offers a very large clean power resource, but electricity from the first US offshore wind contracts is costlier than current regional wholesale electricity prices. To better understand the factors that drive these costs, we develop a pro-forma cash flow model to calculate two results: the levelized cost of energy, and the breakeven price required for financial viability. We then d...

The development of offshore wind energy and other competing interests in sea space are a major incentive for designating marine and coastal areas for specific human activities. Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) considers human activities at sea in a more integrated way by analysing and designating spatial and temporal distributions of human activities based on ecological, economic and social targ...

Wind energy developments offshore focus on larger turbines to keep the relative cost of the foundation per MW of installed capacity low. Hence typical wind turbine hub-heights are extending to 100 m and potentially beyond. However, measurements to these heights are not usually available, requiring extrapolation from lower measurements. With humid conditions and low mechanical turbulence offshor...

The EU-sponsored EnerGEO project aims at providing decision makers with a modelling platform to assess the environmental impacts of different sources of renewable energy. One of the pillars of the project is the Wind Energy Pilot, addressing the effects of offshore wind parks on air pollution and energy use. The methods used in the pilot and the underlying environmental databases are integrated...