Project summary:
Floating Offshore Wind (FLOW) has emerged as a promising renewable energy technology, necessary to access offshore wind resources in deeper water and further offshore, building on proven success in fixed-bottom offshore wind installations. Large-scale deployment of FLOW is seen as a key strategy in the transition away from fossil fuels towards sustainable energy sources, however the cumulative effects on atmospheric and oceanographic processes are not well known.
Research on the atmospheric effects of FLOW, such as wind-speed reduction and wake effects, has been studied within the Fitch model framework (Fitch et al., 2012) and its extensions, and integrated into models like the Weather Research Forecasting system (Archer et al., 2020; Kirby et al., 2022; Nishino & Dunstan, 2020). The underwater impacts of FLOW, particularly the floater’s influence on mixing enhancement in terms of the momentum sink, turbulence kinetic energy (TKE) and dissipation, remain less explored. Existing parameterisation methods for bottom-fixed offshore wind monopiles, including the dry cell approach (Cazenave et al., 2016; Christiansen et al., 2023; Murray & Gallego, 2014) and drag parameterisation (Christiansen et al., 2023), lay the groundwork for understanding the impact of underwater structures. However, parameterisation for FLOW will be different from fixed turbines due to their motion response to wave, wind and current action, and because less of the water column is affected. The parameterisation will also vary with floater and mooring design, as different designs will have different draft and motion characteristics leading to different scales and extent of mixing. In addition, the two-way coupling effects, which consider the modified atmosphere's impact on the sea state and the subsequent effects on FLOW-turbine motions, are a relatively uncharted research frontier.
Integration and Impacts on Marine and Atmospheric Systems (FLOW-IIMAS) PhD offers an innovative opportunity for those interested in pursuing research at the forefront of renewable energy technology. The programme's ground-breaking research initiative explores the intricate interactions between floating offshore wind farms and their surrounding marine and atmospheric environments. The FLOW-IIMAS programme employs state-of-the-art modelling techniques and access to laboratory and field data to optimise the sustainability and efficiency of FLOW technologies, thereby advancing the understanding of how wind power can be harnessed above and below the ocean's surface.