US classification and technical services outfit ABS has successfully completed a design review of the technology behind the University of Maine-led 12MW Aqua Ventus floating offshore wind demo project.
The review covered the front-end engineering and design (FEED) documentation for the VolturnUS floating offshore wind turbine developed by the University of Maine Advanced Structures and Composites Center.
It verified the structure in line with the ABS Guide for Building and Classing Floating Offshore Wind Turbine Installations.
The review covered the hull/tower, coupled aeroelastic/hydrodynamic loads, safety, stability, electrical systems, equipment, piping and hydrodynamic and station keeping design.
VolturnUS is based on a concrete four-column semi-submersible hull concept.
University of Maine Composites Center executive director and principal investigator Habib Dagher said: “UMaine is pleased that its innovative design became the first floating wind turbine concrete semisubmersible hull to be reviewed by ABS, and found to meet the ABS requirements.”
The development consortium, which also includes Canadian utility Emera, European marine energy outfit DCNS and Cianbro, plans to deploy a two-turbine demo in a test area in Maine waters about 5km off Monhegan Island and 20km from the mainland.
The group is targeting a late 2019 commercial operation date.
Image: the VolturnUS prototype (University of Maine)