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Emergence of floating offshore wind energy: Technology and industry

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  • Bento, Nuno
  • Fontes, Margarida

Abstract

The paper investigates the construction of strategies aiming to up-scale low-carbon innovations from pilot to full commercial scale. This requires a systemic understanding of the evolution of the technology along with the organizations and infrastructures supporting its development. Technological innovation systems concepts operationalize system building processes, including the establishment of constituent elements and the performance of key innovation activities. The study surveys the national roadmaps published between 2009 and 2014 for offshore wind energy in deepwaters (more than 50 m deep) which inform on how actors expect the system to grow, including the innovation activities crucial to achieve it. The roadmaps point to the role of guidance and legitimacy as triggers of changes in other innovation processes (knowledge creation, experimentation and so on) needed for take-off. The analysis reveals that the growth plans conveyed in the roadmaps are overly optimistic when compared with the time taken to develop offshore wind energy in fixed structures for shallow waters. Several countries have adopted supporting policies following the publication of the roadmaps, but weaknesses in crucial innovation processes (e.g. specialized skills) and external factors (e.g. crisis, regulatory approval) resulted in a delay of the first large investments. Policy should be based on realistic expectations and adequate to the phase of innovation, such as the promotion of technology-specific institutions (standards, codes, regulations and so on) in technology up-scaling. New directions for research are also provided.

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  • Bento, Nuno & Fontes, Margarida, 2019. "Emergence of floating offshore wind energy: Technology and industry," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 66-82.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:99:y:2019:i:c:p:66-82
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2018.09.035
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    9. Pustina, L. & Lugni, C. & Bernardini, G. & Serafini, J. & Gennaretti, M., 2020. "Control of power generated by a floating offshore wind turbine perturbed by sea waves," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    10. Wang, Xinbao & Cai, Chang & Cai, Shang-Gui & Wang, Tengyuan & Wang, Zekun & Song, Juanjuan & Rong, Xiaomin & Li, Qing'an, 2023. "A review of aerodynamic and wake characteristics of floating offshore wind turbines," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    11. Micallef, Daniel & Rezaeiha, Abdolrahim, 2021. "Floating offshore wind turbine aerodynamics: Trends and future challenges," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    12. Wang, L. & Kolios, A. & Liu, X. & Venetsanos, D. & Rui, C., 2022. "Reliability of offshore wind turbine support structures: A state-of-the-art review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
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    14. Alexandre Mathern & Christoph von der Haar & Steffen Marx, 2021. "Concrete Support Structures for Offshore Wind Turbines: Current Status, Challenges, and Future Trends," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-31, April.
    15. Upma Singh & Mohammad Rizwan & Hasmat Malik & Fausto Pedro García Márquez, 2022. "Wind Energy Scenario, Success and Initiatives towards Renewable Energy in India—A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-39, March.
    16. De Oliveira, Luiz Gustavo Silva & Negro, Simona O., 2019. "Contextual structures and interaction dynamics in the Brazilian Biogas Innovation System," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 462-481.
    17. Abbas, Nikhar J. & Jasa, John & Zalkind, Daniel S. & Wright, Alan & Pao, Lucy, 2024. "Control co-design of a floating offshore wind turbine," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 353(PB).
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    19. Li, He & Guedes Soares, C, 2022. "Assessment of failure rates and reliability of floating offshore wind turbines," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 228(C).
    20. Bento, Nuno & Fontes, Margarida & Barbosa, Juliana, 2021. "Inter-sectoral relations to accelerate the formation of technological innovation systems: Determinants of actors’ entry into marine renewable energy technologies," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    21. Subbulakshmi, A. & Verma, Mohit & Keerthana, M. & Sasmal, Saptarshi & Harikrishna, P. & Kapuria, Santosh, 2022. "Recent advances in experimental and numerical methods for dynamic analysis of floating offshore wind turbines — An integrated review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).
    22. Wang, Xinbao & Cai, Chang & Wu, Xianyou & Chen, Yewen & Wang, Tengyuan & Zhong, Xiaohui & Li, Qing'an, 2024. "Numerical validation of the dynamic aerodynamic similarity criterion for floating offshore wind turbines under equivalent pitch motions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 294(C).
    23. Sara Russo & Pasquale Contestabile & Andrea Bardazzi & Elisa Leone & Gregorio Iglesias & Giuseppe R. Tomasicchio & Diego Vicinanza, 2021. "Dynamic Loads and Response of a Spar Buoy Wind Turbine with Pitch-Controlled Rotating Blades: An Experimental Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-21, June.
    24. Abdelaziz, Sara & Sparrow, Sarah N. & Hua, Weiqi & Wallom, David C.H., 2024. "Assessing long-term future climate change impacts on extreme low wind events for offshore wind turbines in the UK exclusive economic zone," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 354(PB).
    25. Jian Zhang & Guo-Kai Yuan & Songye Zhu & Quan Gu & Shitang Ke & Jinghua Lin, 2022. "Seismic Analysis of 10 MW Offshore Wind Turbine with Large-Diameter Monopile in Consideration of Seabed Liquefaction," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-31, March.

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