Coordinateurs du projet
Context
The I2FLOW project addresses two priorities identified in the WEAMEC roadmap: biocolonization and SHM, and specifically targets floating offshore wind turbines.
This project, which won the WEAMEC International Research call for proposals, is a collaboration between our member the University of Nantes, which deals with many topics in the field of MRE, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, which has been involved in the technological development of floating wind turbines for 10 years, and the company CETEAL, which is developing a semi-submersible concrete float for floating wind turbines (XCF).
Scientific breakthroughs and innovation
The I2FLOW project addresses the issues of biofouling and SHM by optimizing the design of offshore structures and improving their acceptability in three different ways:
- firstly, by optimizing the design and integration of “biohuts” for local fish species in an offshore wind turbine float (developed by CETEAL) to naturally reduce the amount of biocolonization, and therefore the amount of material needed to ensure the reliability of the structure;
- secondly, by analyzing social acceptability by local communities (residents, fishermen, environmental protection associations);
- finally, by pooling anchors and controlling these anchoring systems, thereby reducing operating costs (installation costs) and the environmental footprint.
Expected technical and economic impact
I2FLOW will produce a series of raw data on biofouling and anchor sharing that can be analyzed and then extrapolated for industrial application to CETEAL’s XCF semi-submersible platform, subject to further studies.