NorthWind conducts research, education and innovation that helps to cut costs for wind power, ensure sustainable development, create jobs and increase exports from the Norwegian supplier industry. The centre started in the summer of 2021. It is led by SINTEF together with NTNU, NGI, UiO and NINA as research partners. The industry contributes to user studies, in interaction with the research partners and on the board of the centre. The industry is in the majority on the board and the chairman is from DNV. In total, more than 40 industrial partners participate in NorthWind. They cover the entire Norwegian value chain in wind power, with a particular emphasis on offshore wind. Leading international research partners such as DTU, Fraunhofer, University of Strathclyde, NREL and TNO participate and contribute to the scientific committee that advises on the PhD program and publications.
NorthWind has hired 17 PhD students, of which 10 are already expected to graduate in 2025. In the coming years, an additional 9 PhD students will be hired. Also, through the study programs at NTNU and UiO, NorthWind contributes to the education of MSc and BSc students, and to continuing education. Over 100 MSc students have already specialised in offshore wind, and about 200 specialists have completed continuing education.
The research in NorthWind is designed to address topics where Norway and its partners have leading expertise, and which are important for achieving Norwegian goals both related to the development of offshore wind and the development of a strong supplier industry. The topics are 1) structures and integrity, 2) marine operations and logistics, 3) electrical infrastructure and system integration, 4) digital twin and operational optimization, and 5) sustainable development. The research is progressing according to plan in close collaboration with industry partners through user studies, analyses and development of innovations.
NorthWind has over 30 innovations under development that are followed up using TRL (Technology Readiness Level). The innovations are typically developed from being an idea (TRL=1) to being validated by laboratory testing (TRL 3-5). Further development will normally take place outside of NorthWind in more commercially oriented projects led by the industry. Some innovations can also be taken out of NorthWind at an earlier stage to get an extra boost. One example is the SKARV concept, which is an innovation under development to prevent collisions between wind turbines and birds. The innovation has been developed into TRL=3 and is now being taken forward in a new knowledge-building project (KSP) funded by the Research Council of Norway.
NorthWind collaborates with other projects as much as possible to provide the best possible results. This applies to both EU projects, IEA collaborations, KSPs, and larger initiatives such as Green Platform Ocean Grids, LowEmission and FME NTRANS. Coordination leads to more efficient use of resources and better results. One example is preliminary analyses of how 30 GW of offshore wind can be integrated into the Norwegian power system. Questions that have been investigated include what power fluctuations can be expected, how often will there be no wind, how will it affect the power price, and what about security of supply? An important result is that the location of the offshore wind farms spread from south to north in Norway will result in an overall more even production than if the farms are concentrated in a smaller area. Other examples of results from NorthWind are 1) Flagturb: an advanced software for calculating rapid power fluctuations from wind farms, 2) 2D FEM: a more accurate model for calculating electrical losses in subsea three-phase power cables, 3) SmartWIND: concept for carrying out heavy maintenance of floating wind turbines, 4) AE: method for using acoustic emission for monitoring welding quality in the fabrication of steel jackets for wind turbines, 5) IEA reference site: dataset of weather and sea condition as a design basis for floating offshore wind farms and 6) SRL: A concept for quantification of sustainability (sustainable readiness level = SRL).
NorthWind is an active member of the Norwegian Offshore Wind Cooperation Forum and has led the work of the theme group Research, technology development and competence, which has published a detailed and ambitious roadmap for research, innovation and education. NorthWind is also involved in the leadership of international forums such as EERA JP wind, ETIP wind, and in working groups under IEA TCP wind. The work gives the finger on the pulse of good dialogue with authorities, industry and academia, and ensures the relevance and effective dissemination of research in the centre. NorthWind has a total of over 500 publications, including media reports, presentations and articles. Over 30 webinars have been held, and NorthWind web has over 30,000 views annually.
FME NorthWind, the Norwegian Research Centre on Wind Energy, will progress outstanding research and innovation to facilitate the sustainable development of wind power with respect for nature both on land and offshore. Such development will support the creation of thousands of new green jobs in the Norwegian service and supply industry and spearhead substantial export growth for Norway, particularly for offshore wind development.
Focus areas for NorthWind include:
- Turbines and support structures, including floating platforms
- Marine operations and logistics for offshore wind farms
- Electrical systems infrastructure and power grid integration
- Digital twin technology for improved asset management
- The development of a sustainable wind power industry
NorthWind will lay a solid technological foundation to unlock the future market potential through outstanding research to lower the risk and cost of wind farms and through the development of a large number of innovations for widespread implementation. Published scientific results will provide developers and operators with tools and knowledge to optimise the design and operation of wind farms, including the development of cost competitive floating wind farms by 2030, helping to make the necessary green energy transition a reality.
On top of the research results, NorthWind will serve as a knowledge-based platform for the much-needed public engagement, informed debate and policy development on wind energy in Norway and beyond. Digital tools will be used where possible to maximize reach and participation in these processes.
The NorthWind consortium involves several key actors for wind power research and development, including SINTEF, NTNU, UiO, NGI and NINA, all with experience in FME-level research centres and strong competence on wind energy research. In addition, more than 35 industrial partners that cover the full supply chain from planning to deployment will ensure the highest relevance to industry requirements.