FLOWB is a strategic Floating Wind Supply Chain Acceleration Programme led by ORE Catapult in conjunction with Innovate UK. ORE Catapult are working with NREL and University of Maine to advance UK and US collaborations on Floating Offshore Wind. 

 

The UK is leading the floating wind industry through the first industrial scale project developments. The scale of this challenge also presents a huge export opportunity for the UK as other countries follow in our footsteps. FLOWB is helping UK Entities to establish links and commercial opportunities in the United States and helping to accelerate the research and development phases of their Floating Offshore Wind supply chain technologies. The technologies developed will be vital to the Floating Offshore Wind supply chain in the UK, the United States and the rest of the world.

 

FLOWB is a £2.5 million programme and will provide £1.5 million of funding to UK Floating Offshore Wind supply chain companies to develop Innovative technologies and collaborate with NREL and the University of Maine.

 

If you wish to be partnered with NREL or University of Maine for a grant application to FLOWB you should fill in the Expressions of Interest Form.

ORE Catapult have identified four areas and project types that will be funded through the FLOWB 2024 funding call. These areas have been determined through collaboration with our US Partners, NREL and University of Maine. Our US partners are looking for Innovative UK entities that they can collaborate with to develop and advance their novel floating wind platforms. The projects proposed should look to develop the technologies through scaled testing activities in collaboration with one of the US partners. The specific themes are as follows:

 

Predictive Controls and Conditional Health Monitoring

 

ORE Catapult are interested in funding research and development into innovative technologies which can identify and predict the degradation of floating wind substructures, their mooring lines and dynamic cable solutions. The technologies and innovations developed using FLOWB grant funding shall be able to maximise power outputs of light weight floating structures either through:

• Predicting and optimising operations and maintenance schedules.
• Through developing predictive control systems for floating offshore wind turbines which minimises structural loads and avoids large platform oscillations.

 

Novel Mooring Systems Designs

 

Projects may be focused on the mooring and anchoring systems for the VolturnUS+ and USFLOWT and/or innovative material which can be deployed in both UK and US waters. UK entities that are adapting mooring systems which are used in other industries (e.g. oil and gas) are encouraged to apply. Projects should be focused in areas around:

• Mooring system configuration which limit the mooring line footprint/spread for light weight concrete substructures.
• Novel mooring line material or mooring line types.
• Light weight anchor designs for rocky sea beds

 

Low Carbon Concrete Manufacturing and Assembly for Floating Foundations

 

The manufacturing of concrete floating substructures could increase the local content and cost competitiveness of floating offshore wind developments in the UK. Similarly, the pre-assembly of turbines and floating substructures at quay sides are currently limited due to the port infrastructure both in the UK and US. The University of Maine are planning the development, manufacturing, assembly and demonstration of the VolturnUS+ platform. Projects proposed in this specific theme should be aligned with the University of Maine through the development and testing of Innovative technologies at scale. Projects should be focused in the following areas:

• Manufacturing of low carbon concrete floating substructures.
• Technologies that aid the pre-assembly and launching of light weight floating substructures.
• Innovations to maximise quayside space during manufacturing and assembly processes for floating offshore wind.

 

Innovative Dynamic Cable Designs and Protection Systems

 

Development of ‘next generation’ dynamic cables for floating offshore wind platforms. Projects may be focused on:

• Cable routing for the VolturnUS+ and USFLOWT10
• Cable protection systems and solutions (e.g software or hardware) for dynamic cables
• Innovative buoyancy modules for dynamic cables

FLOWB is delighted to be supported and sponsored by:

• Innovate UK
• National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
• University of Maine