INFINITE
Objective
The INFINITE (INnovative oFfshore wInd techNologies In deep waTErs) project demonstrates a 11 MW floating offshore wind system at 100m water depth with two key technology innovations:
- The first is a disruptive and environment-friendly concrete tension leg platform anchored with an innovative tendon-based mooring system. The platform is designed to work with commercially available WTGs and is scalable, modular, and self-installing, showing a vast potential for industrialisation.
- The second is an innovative aluminum dynamic cable design that is safer, lighter, cheaper and allows for more standardisation in O&M. The demonstrator makes use of a cost optimised O&M strategy that increases accessibility and turbine availability. Moreover, best practices for value co-creation with local stakeholders are applied leading to increased public acceptance of offshore wind developments and an improved Maritime Spatial Planning.
The innovations result in an LCOE of 85.3 EUR/MWh at project end and set the path to achieve 43.3 EUR/MWh by 2030. An LCA of the technology innovations developed and an industrial roadmap bringing together innovation needs, supply chain readiness and policy frameworks to allow mass production and deployment complement the project activities.
WavEC Contribuition
In the INFINITE project, WavEC will lead the "Sustainability, Business, Exploitation, Policy" WP, which has the objectives of:
- evaluate the holistic costs to be incorporated in the LCOE of the wind farm system and establish strategies to minimize those costs while that enabling scalability through circular economy businesses
- stakeholder engagement
- produce a business plan supporting the Go/no Go decision on a demonstrator
- define an industrial roadmap bringing together innovation needs, supply chain readiness and policy frameworks that allow mass production
- develop an exploitation plan for all partners for the products and services deriving from the project
WavEC will also lead the communication and dissemination of the project, being responsible for communicating and disseminating effective, strategic, and coherent messages about the project’s activities and outcomes.
On other tasks, WavEC will also help by:
- compilating the information on the technical description of the project, the maritime space used, maritime safety (i.e., emergency, and contingency plans) and all environmental monitoring plans deemed as necessary by the regulatory authorities to help with permitting
- studying the requirement for monitoring loads on specific cable segments based on cable layout, expected dynamic motions, and appropriate sensing equipment capabilities
- collecting and analysing the actual sea conditions based on the measurements of the wave measurement buoy to be deployed in the area
- simulating and analysing the dynamic behaviour of the platform and mooring system when exposed to the measured sea states
- developing the virtual model of the dynamic cable to be integrated into the digital twin and inform fatigue life
- utilise & validate their short-term operations scheduling tool, fed by weather forecast data for the Viana site, to support the day-to-day scheduling of maintenance activities
General Information
Funding: Horizon Europe
WavEC Coordinator: Luís Amaral
Total Funding (Requested Contribution): € 15 455 944.89
WavEC Funding: € 525 687.50
Duration: November 2022 – October 2026
Coordinator: Bluenewables SL
Partners: Bluenewables SL, Acciona Construccion SA, Acciona Generacion Renovable S.A., Fulgor Monoprosopi Anonymi Eteria Elliniki Viomixania Kalodion, ACSM Shipping CO Sociedad Limitada, Fundacion CENER, London Offshore Consultants (France), WavEC Offshore Renewables, AVOS – Added Value Offshore Systems, GMC Limited
Website: www.infiniteproject.eu