E1 - Higher and more consistent reliability through risk-based design

E - Survivability, Reliability and Design

Status - published
Last updated on: 30/11/2023

Challenges/Opportunities

Existing design methods can limit scope for innovation and cost reduction, particularly for arrays of devices.

Solution

Rational, whole-life models coupling resource to device/structure loading and response accounting for control and interaction with station-keeping infrastructure.

Context and Need

Many of the methods employed for design of offshore renewable energy systems are inherited, with some modification, from the oil and gas sector. Employing these methods can constrain design of offshore renewable energy systems to relatively high-cost solutions, limit design to conservative solutions and can result in low survivability of trial systems that integrate novel components or concepts.

When applied to multiple components or systems, probabilistic design methods provide the opportunity to design for target levels of reliability accounting for variability of the resource, device and component design tolerances, array configuration and device or array control parameters.

Demonstrable cost reduction for multiple units relative to multiple of single unit design.

Summary

Establish risk-based and/or probabilistic design approaches that span resource, device, control strategy and array. Develop rational, coupled whole-life models for resource - device/structure (and control) - foundation interaction to allow consistent target reliability. Unpack existing practices inherited from oil and gas, to remove conservatism, and counter current issues of low survivability of some trial systems

Impact Potential

Potential for significant:

  • reduction of CAPEX and OPEX
  • increased reliability
  • improved survivability (or equivalent for reduced expenditure)
  • reduced risk to offshore operations and negative environmental impact

Can enable increased performance of control strategies and condition monitoring strategies.

Research Summary

Active projects:

  • MONITOR (Atlantic Area project ID#: EAPA_333/2016): The cost of operations and maintenance is the single biggest obstacle to commercial-scale deployment of tidal stream energy. MONITOR uses a range of methods (at-sea measurements, lab testing & simulation) to improve reliability of tidal turbines. This will help developers lower their cost of energy while increasing capacity factor.
  • Innovative floating offshore wind energy - Lifes50plus: Proving cost effective technology for floating substructures for 10MW wind turbines at water depths greater than 50m.
  • WEC Design Response Toolbox (WDRT): The WDRT was developed by Sandia National Laboratories and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to provide extreme response and fatigue analysis tools, specifically for design analysis of ocean structures such as wave energy converters (WECs).
  • Wave Energy Scotland – Knowledge Capture: Wave Energy Scotland is managing the most extensive technology programme of its kind in the wave energy sector. The Knowledge Library provides access to key information and documents generated through this world leading commercial and academic research & development.
Return to homepage