Floating Offshore Wind Dynamic Cables (FlOWDyn)

Project Description

Dynamic Cables are one of the key elements that allows offshore wind power back to land. It is also one of the most vulnerable elements, leading to more frequent failures with large consequences around power generation and uncertainty around them. However, addressing the consistency of dynamic cables is difficult due to the fundamental complexity of these cables in terms of their modelling, lack of evidence base in terms of their testing and monitoring, and finally the gap between understanding them and having adequate tools to absorb them into industrial practice.

The FlowDyn project aims to address some of these problems through bespoke analysis methods, testing protocols, benchmark repositories and development of software/hardware tools for design, assessment, testing and monitoring of nonlinear cables subjected to a harsh and stochastic environment with uncertainties. The project also aims to create and support innovative technical solutions addressing barriers around Operations and Maintenance (O&M) of dynamic cables and related wind farms for lifetime needs to make wind energy financially more competitive, safe, and resilient against lifetime hazards and climate variability.