CHALLENGE OFFSHORE TEST SITE RESEARCH Initiating further offshore wind energy test site research in Germany after alpha ventus Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy and Energy System Technology IWES Bernhard Lange, Eva Otto
AGENDA 1. Why offshore test field research, development & demonstration (RD&D)? 2. The RAVE initiative 3. International test fields 4. Future offshore test fields in Germany the OFT concept 5. Survey on RD&D demand 6. Initiation of test fields 7. Challenges 8. Conclusion 2
Why RD&D at offshore sites? Research, development and demonstration (RD&D) is needed: Research: Long-term innovative capacity Development: New technological solutions Demonstration: Market penetration Aims: Reduction of technological risks and acceleration of the development Reduction of the cost of energy from offshore wind farms RD&D needs data and experience from real offshore applications Research needs real application data Development needs possibility to test new solutions Demonstration for the market, which requires proven technology 3
RAVE Research at alpha ventus Funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) Accompanying research at the alpha ventus test site 30+ R&D projects 50+ project partners RAVE Steering Committee : 4
Offshore test field alpha ventus Distance to coast: 60 km Water depth: 30 m Erected 2009, inaugurated 2010 First experience: High production, high availability alpha ventus www.alpha-ventus.de 5
Layout of alpha ventus REpower 5M DOTI AREVA Wind M5000 6
Example: Measurements at AV07 Structural dynamics Meteorology Wave water pressure Hydrology / Geology Sound emission Bird observation Corrosion Operational data 7
Main objectives of RAVE Demonstration Development Investigation of OWP issues DOTI 2009; Boris Valov, Fraunhofer IWES; DEWI; Sebastian Fuhrmann; Fraunhofer IWES Expand research, experience & expertise 8
RAVE Research Projects Technology-Monitoring and O&M LIDAR Grid integration Turbine Design Meteorology REpower Blades AREVA Wind M5000 Improvement Acceptance Hydro Sound Offshore conditions Foundations Support structures Operational noise REpower Components Sonar Transponder Ecology Geology / Oceanography DOTI 9
RAVE Conclusions RAVE has achieved its goals: Proven the offshore-capability of the 5 MW turbine class Facilitated further development of offshore wind technology in many areas Improved the knowledge about offshore wind utilisation Produced an invaluable and unique data set of measurements RAVE will continue, but the focus will move: Further use of valuable measurement data for research projects from design and erection to operation and maintenance from demonstration to research 10
International test sites Norway Hywind Rogaland Pelagic Power Sweden SeaTwirl Utgrunden windfarm USA VolturnUS Virginia Offshore Wind Fishermen s Atlantic City Windfloat Pacific Japan Fukushima Mirai Chosi Kitakyushu Kabashima Island UK Beatrice Pelastar Gunfleet Sands 3 Ireland Gaelectric Foreshore Blyth offshore wind demonstration site Aberdeen Bay European OW Deployment Centre Methil Offshore Wind Farm Moray Hywind Scotland Pilot Park Netherlands Egmond aan Zee Leeghwater France WINFLO VertiWind Fécamp Denmark Frederikshavn Poseidon 37 (Lolland) Nissum Bredning Belgium Belwind Germany alpha ventus Borkum Riffgrund 1 GICON SOF Nordsee 1 (Innogy) Albatros test site installed planned Portugal Windfloat Spanien Zèfir Test Station Italy Blue H cancelled 11
Test site research beyond RAVE Aim of alpha ventus was to pioneer offshore wind power in Germany and to kick-start the development Now challenges are: Reduction of technical risks Reduction of cost of electricity Development of the German offshore wind industry RD&D at offshore test fields is needed Possibility to continuously demonstrate the latest technology Possibility to test new, innovative concepts Possibility to gather research data from different technologies, different site conditions 12
Distributed test field Current aim is the continuous development of the technology and industry Several test sites have to be made available continuously over time and in different environmental conditions Concept of distributed test field Instead of dedicated test fields, offshore RD&D should be integrated into offshore wind farms, distributed over several sites and over time Each part of the distributed test field should be Dedicated to specific RD&D goals Associated to a commercial wind farm Conducted by industry, research and wind farm owner together 13
Offshore test site research project OFT Funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) Project consortium: Fraunhofer IWES Stiftung Offshore-Windenergie Industrial partners: AREVA Wind GmbH Ambau GmbH Bauer AG GICON Großmann Ingenieur Consult GmbH HOCHTIEF Solutions AG V&M Deutschland GmbH WeserWind GmbH Witzenmann Hamburg GmbH Foundations 14
Comprehensive concept Model cooperation contract Determination of offshore R&D demands Concept Public funding and test site approvals Guidelines for implementation Identification of potential test sites Organisational structure of test site research 15
R&D demand survey Survey on R&D demands of research and industry carried out in August/September 2013: 198 research institutions and 200 companies were contacted response rate 30% resp. 19 %. 16
Main objectives of RD&D for offshore wind energy Objective of RD&D Research Industry Reduction of cost of electricity and technical risks by further development of the offshore wind turbine Reduction of cost of electricity and technical risks by improved planning, installation, operation and maintenance Optimization of the grid and system integration of turbines and wind farms Optimization of environmental impact and public acceptance of offshore wind farms 53% 42% 71% 63% 52% 45% 24% 16% 17
Prioritised R&D topics Top 10 Priorities Research 1. Load monitoring 2. Load forecasting and optimisation 3. Early failure detection 4. Storage technologies 5. Life-cycle analysis 6. Collecting, structuring and analysis of data from operational experiences 7. Measurement of offshore wind conditions 8. Calculating and verifying loads 9. New and innovative concepts 10.Alternative installation techniques Industry 1. Reduction of construction noise 2. Alternative installation techniques 3. Mass production; Prod. processes 4. Concepts for logistics and services 5. Support structures other than monopiles 6. New and innovative concepts 7. Corrosion and corrosion protection 8. Life-cycle analysis 9. Early failure detection 10.Reduction and investigation of impacts of offshore turbines on marine mammals 18
Prerequisites for RD&D for offshore wind energy Data from offshore sites is fundamental for both groups more important than the access to laboratories or test facilities on land The cooperation between research and industry is more important for researchers than for the industry. Cooperation among industrial players and among research institutes is important to both groups. 19
Initialisation of test fields Innovators Research Approval Public funding Developers / operators Demand for demonstration of prototypes Demand for real offshore data BSH welcomes test fields Formal approval process in the same as for other wind farms Support for RD&D is available Challenge and risk to operate a test field 20
Situation for developers / operators Technical risks: Less reliable turbines may cause reduced return as well as expensive maintenance Project management risks: Additional coordination and modification as well as scheduling issues endanger the main commercial wind farm Cost risks: Increased financial costs as a result of higher risks: O&M, installation, cost of monitoring, additional insurance costs Approval risk: Approval of changes for the test field are required, which may cause delay Missing incentives: No financial advantage for an operator unless there is interest in taking a technological leadership position 21
Conclusions RAVE and alpha ventus were a great success in helping to start the German offshore development and the German research capabilities To continuously develop the industry, technology and knowledge, offshore test field capacities for RD&D are necessary In the frame of the OFT (Offshore test field) project, A concept for distributed test fields is developed The formation of first test fields is initiated Main challenge is the low attractiveness to develop, own and operate offshore test fields 22
Thanks for your attention! WWW.OFFSHORE-TESTFELD.DE Information about the project All publications of the project as download Dr. Bernhard Lange Head of Department Wind farm planning and operation Am Seedeich 45, 27572 Bremerhaven, Germany Bernhard.Lange@iwes.fraunhofer.de 23