Maritime logistics optimization for offshore wind

PROJECTS

The tools have been developed, and are continuously beeing improved through several research projects:

FME NorthWind (2021 - 2029)
- Norwegian Research Centre on Wind Energy

Center for Environment-friendly Energy Research (FME), co-financed by the Research Council of Norway, industry and research partners.

Primary objective:  Bring forward outstanding research and innovation to reduce the cost of wind power and facilitate its sustainable development, which will grow exports and create new jobs.

Secondary objectives:

• De-risk critical aspects for concept selection and enable cost-effective design and fabrication of support
  structures through reduced uncertainty and application of novel methods
• Develop methods and tools for efficient and safe marine operations and logistic planning for installation
  and maintenance of offshore wind farms
• Develop reliable and cost-effective electric power components and system solutions to enable profitable
  large-scale deployment of offshore wind energy in the North Sea
• Develop methodologies to elevate the capability level of digital twin from 0-2 to 3-5 (autonomy)
• Develop tools and insights for sustainable development of wind energy to create a successful export
  industry, reduce cost and uncertainty, and resolve environmental and societal conflicts 

4TheWind (2020 - 2021)
- Promotion of innovative planning tools for offshore wind

Funding through FORSTERK by the Research Council of Norway.

The main goal of the 4TheWind project is to facilitate the highest number of possible users of the research results developed by SINTEF Ocean through i4Offshore.

INSTALLER (2018 - 2020)
- Floating installation concept for offshore wind developments

Innovation project for the industry co-financed by the Research Council of Norway.
Partners: National Oilwell Varco, Statoil, Ulstein, Fred. Olsen Windcarrier, SINTEF Ocean

Project goal: To develop a flexible and cost-efficient solution for large offshore wind turbines, located at sea-depths exceeding current capabilities of jack-up vessels.

LEANWIND (2013 - 2017)
- Logistic Efficiencies And Naval architecture for Wind Installations with Novel Developments

Funded under the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Union.
Objective: Provide cost reductions across the offshore wind farm lifecycle and supply chain.

Key research areas:

• Construction, deployment and decommissioning
• Novel vessels and equipment
• Operation and maintenance strategies
• Integrated logistics
• Economic and market assessments

NOWITECH (2009 - 2017)
- Norwegian Research Centre for Offshore Wind Technology

An international research cooperation on offshore wind technology, co-financed by the Research Council of Norway, industry and research partners.
Objective: Precompetitive research laying a foundation for industrial value creation and cost-effective offshore wind farms. Emphasis is on "deep-sea" (+30 m) including bottom-fixed and floating wind turbines.

Key research areas:

• Integrated numerical design tools for novel offshore wind energy concepts.
• Energy conversion systems using new materials for blades and generators.
• Novel substructures (bottom-fixed and floaters) for offshore wind turbines.
• Grid connection and system integration of large offshore wind farms.
• Operation and maintenance strategies and technologies.
• Assessment of novel concepts by numerical tools and physical experiments.

FAROFF (2012 - 2013)
- Far offshore operation and maintenance vessel concept development and optimization

Innovation project for the industry co-financed by the Research Council of Norway. 
Partners: Statkraft, Statoil, Fred. Olsen Windcarrier, Offshore Kinetics, Odfjell Wind, SINTEF Ocean/MARINTEK, SINTEF Energy Research

Activities:

• Development and evaluation of far-offshore O&M vessel concepts (SINTEF Ocean/MARINTEK)
• Development of life-cycle O&M simulation model for vessel concept decision support (NOWIcob, SINTEF Energy Research)
• Development of O&M vessel fleet size and mix optimization model (SINTEF Ocean/MARINTEK)