Ultraflexible SmartFLoating Offshore Wind Turbine (USFLOWT)
Technology Description:
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) will design an innovative floating offshore platform (SpiderFLOAT) to unlock the offshore wind market by lowering the cost of energy below the current value of fixed-bottom offshore wind plants. The project uses a revolutionary substructure based on a bioinspired, ultra-compliant, modular, and scalable concept and advanced control system. The team will complete preliminary design of a 10-MW unit by using CCD optimization techniques and advance the commercialization of the floating offshore wind technology.
Potential Impact:
ATLANTIS projects will aim to develop new and potentially disruptive innovations in FOWT technology to enable a greater market share of offshore wind energy, ultimately strengthening and diversifying the array of domestic energy sources available to Americans.
Security:
Diverse, domestic energy resources can boost grid resiliency and reduce infrastructure vulnerabilities.
Environment:
Economy:
Program developments in FOWTs could reduce the cost of wind energy production and provide an entirely new option for the offshore wind industry, as well as access to significant wind resources near major population centers on U.S. coastlines.