Fast-tracking Offshore Renewable energy With Advanced Research to Deploy 2030MW of tidal energy before 2030

Informations projet

FORWARD-2030

N° de convention de subvention: 101037125

DOI

10.3030/101037125

Date de signature de la CE 31 Août 2021

Date de début 1 Septembre 2021

Date de fin 31 Juillet 2027

Financé au titre de

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Secure, clean and efficient energy

Coût total

€ 27 987 218,75

Contribution de l’UE

€ 21 509 866,26

Coordonné par

ORBITAL MARINE POWER LIMITED
United Kingdom

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - FORWARD-2030 (Fast-tracking Offshore Renewable energy With Advanced Research to Deploy 2030MW of tidal energy before 2030)

Période du rapport: 2021-09-01 au 2023-02-28

Résumé du contexte et des objectifs généraux du projet

There is 10 GW of predictable tidal stream resource in European waters, which is entirely unharnessed, and presents a significant opportunity for low carbon electricity generation and wider societal benefit. Currently, generating costs are too high and there are also regulatory and supply chain barriers to sector rollout.

FORWARD-2030 will deliver seven priority cost reduction innovations for tidal stream energy, three market uptake innovations and four market rollout initiatives.

The tidal turbine cost reduction innovations include low cost anchors, 22m diameter blades, blade winglets, enhanced powertrains and pitch control systems, improved access weather limits though physical platform optimisations and tooling and improved electrical export architecture.

To address environmental consenting barriers, an advanced integrated environmental monitoring system for floating tidal energy arrays will be development.

A new ‘Societal’ Gross Value-Added tool will be developed to first assess and then inform economic impact of the technology at a local, national and European level.

An evidence case report for marine spatial planners will be delivered on the attributes of largescale Orbital technology deployment from a marine spatial planning perspective, multiuse opportunities and how potential sea user conflicts can be addressed and reduced.

Volume manufacturing delivery plans and improved carbon footprint will be delivered.

The entire project will be developed and demonstrated with regard advanced future energy plant and systems, integrating the tidal turbine with battery storage, hydrogen production and exploring enhanced revenue stream potential and energy systems benefit with wider pan-European replicability.

Travail effectué depuis le début du projet jusqu’à la fin de la période considérée dans le rapport et principaux résultats atteints jusqu’à présent

Seven priority cost reduction innovations have been developed and designed for performance testing on a commercial scale Orbital tidal energy converter.

Firstly, rockbolts, also referred in design deliverable as a piled anchor, involve replacing the large gravity anchors with small (<1m diameter) anchor piles drilled into the seabed reducing capital cost and embodied carbon associated with the technology. A preliminary design has been developed. It considers not only the planned EMEC deployment site but also wider application across a project portfolio.

Increasing rotor diameter increases the yield and reduces generating costs for the majority of tidal stream projects under consideration, while winglets increase yield further without increasing the water depth requirements associated with the technology. This have particularly advantages where water depths limit the size of the rotor diameter than can be installed. A design specification has been developed for both.

There has been an extensive review of how to enhance the O2-X powertrain. In the context and driven by a core product LCOE model, this work has included analysing load data from the O2 to verify design simulation models, incorporating over 70 lessons from the construction and operation of the O2, progressing concept design reviews of key components where necessary (nacelle body, main shaft unit) and progressing distinct studies in promising areas.

Pitch control algorithms have been improved.

Volume manufacturing plans for 10 MW arrays have been developed ahead of development plans in the next period for 100 MW+ projects.

A design has been development for a system incorporating the O2-X, battery energy storage, hydrogen production all controlled with an Energy Management System (EMS) to control power flows and power export to advance technoeconomic and grid impact benefit studies with pan-European replicability.

The design specification for an integrated environmental monitoring system has been developed.

Progrès au-delà de l’état des connaissances et impact potentiel prévu (y compris l’impact socio-économique et les conséquences sociétales plus larges du projet jusqu’à présent)

The seven tidal turbine innovations under development are all delivering beyond state of the art innovation to the sector. The rockbolt anchors under development have never being deployed at this size and scale in the tidal environment in such an application. The blades under development (with winglets) will represent the largest swept area on any tidal turbine to date. The pitch control system and enhanced powertrain will take the components beyond state of the art.

The project will be executed by a pan-European supply chain. The technology and project initiatives are being developed toward unlocking an initial 2030 MW of tidal stream projects in European Waters, delivering significant low carbon generation and wide scale societal benefit through sustainable economic development.

The demonstration phase will involve integration with battery energy storage and hydrogen production to maximum energy systems and carbon reduction benefit across energy vectors

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