The goal of this Topic Area is to enhance floating offshore wind systems through innovative approaches. Projects that fall under this category may concentrate on immediate needs for initial U.S. floating offshore wind projects, along with long-term objectives aimed at decreasing costs and enhancing efficiency in key areas such as validation, fabrication, installation, and operation. Subtopics within this focus may involve the refinement and innovation of floating platform design, manufacturing, and deployment. This may encompass research, development, and testing geared towards enhancing how floating offshore wind systems are constructed and installed. Efforts may include advancements in materials, manufacturing techniques, and installation methods. Testing may be conducted on models or at full-scale to confirm the enhancements to the manufacturing process. Additionally, research and testing (at size or full-scale) could explore the development of factories and equipment capable of constructing and installing a range of floating offshore platform designs.
Another subtopic within this Topic Area includes next-generation integrated turbine/platform research. This may encompass research and development aimed at understanding how turbines, towers, platforms, and mooring systems interact with each other. The ultimate objective is to design simpler, cost-effective systems that improve overall efficiency and energy output. Research areas may include modeling tools and techniques, testing, and the exploration of new controls and materials to enhance the integration of the various components in floating offshore wind systems.