The European Union has awarded a EUR 1.4 million research grant to the GODESS (Global Optimal DEsign of Support Structures) project aimed at optimizing the design of offshore wind turbines.
The GODESS project aims to maximize efficiency in the design process of offshore support structures. Based on estimates from the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, the innovation, which GODESS aims to deliver could reduce the cost of materials for substructures by up to 25%.
Akselos, the project lead, will be working with Denmark’s LICengineering to deliver an open innovation platform that enables engineering companies to create their own design optimization modules, utilizing Akselos’simulation engine.
The initiative will allow data collected by Akselos’ predictive digital twin technology during wind farm operations to be used to validate structural integrity and make the design process more efficient. This digital feedback loop is expected to empower wind turbine designers to make better, more sustainable designs.
“We are passionate about accelerating the energy transition with digital technology, and this project will enable us to contribute in a meaningful way. We’re working with a number of international wind operators on R&D projects in other areas of the wind power lifecycle, but the initiative to optimize the design of turbines is crucial to lower the cost of wind power as we move towards a low carbon world,” Thomas Leurent , CEO of Akselos, said.
The project works by creating a full digital loop from design to operations, bringing together parametric simulations, machine learning and optimization routines. This approach enables engineers to use relevant operational data to understand how designs behave under operating conditions. It also allows for resilient, optimal designs based on real-world data.
Around 20,000 engineering hours are spent during the design phase of wind farm foundations. As it stands, this knowledge is effectively lost when the wind farm is delivered. Retaining this engineering knowledge and reusing it throughout the lifecycle of the asset will drive new business models for engineering companies, Akselos said.
Hans Jorgen Riber , R&D Director of LICengineering said: “GODESS, which is based on Akselos’ predictive digital twin technology combined with our plugins, will enable us to reduce the design period significantly for the increasingly complex support structures of offshore wind turbines. By combining increased simulation speed with cost-based design, we will be able to make an important step change in offshore wind development and reduce the cost of energy significantly.”