The National Science Foundation (NSF) Integrative Activities (IA) program awarded a $149,980 Early-Concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) grant to the University of Maine System (UMS) to investigate orbital motion dynamics of offshore wind turbines (OWTs) during the installation phase. The project will use wave tank experiments, numerical modeling, and a novel digital twin framework based on generative artificial intelligence to predict real-time orbital motions in partially installed bottom-fixed OWTs. This research aims to address critical knowledge gaps and challenges in the safe and cost-effective deployment of offshore wind energy, which is a key focus of the NSF-wide Clean Energy Technology initiative. The project also includes plans to advance offshore wind education and workforce training through integrating new knowledge into academic courses, offering K-12 student research internships, and developing an open-source graduate textbook on OWT installation.
Generated 1/28/25, 9:14 AM