An Overview of Analysis and Design of Offshore Wind Turbines

Abstract

Offshore wind provides an important source of renewable energy and new opportunities for marine technology. Various fixed and floating concepts have been proposed for offshore wind application. Offshore wind turbines (OWTs) with a monopile support structure fixed to the sea bed in shallow water, have already been industrialized, while fixed turbines in deeper water are emerging. Floating wind turbines are still at an early stage of development. The works presented in this chapter deal with selected recent developments of wind turbine concepts, design criteria and methods for integrated dynamic analysis. Besides design, topics such as inspection, monitoring, maintenance and repair during operation are also briefly addressed.