GE Global Research to Develop Controls for 12MW Floating Wind Turbine

GE Global Research has been awarded USD 2.8 million through the US Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), which will go towards design and development of optimized controls for a lightweight 12MW floating offshore wind turbine.

ARPA-E funding was provided by their newest program, Aerodynamic Turbines, Lighter and Afloat, with Nautical Technologies and Integrated Servo-control (ATLANTIS).

This program seeks to develop floating offshore wind turbines through new designs, technology innovations, and experiments. The ATLANTIS program has awarded USD 26 million to thirteen programs throughout the country.

GE Global Research Center in Niskayuna, New York, will use the funds to design and develop optimized controls for the 12MW floating offshore wind turbine.

The team will use advanced control algorithms that operate the turbine and are designed concurrently with the integrated structure of the floating turbine.

The proposed turbine designs and co-designed controls have the potential to reduce the mass by more than 35% compared with installed floating turbine designs, ARPA-E said.

GE Global Research is the research and development division of General Electric. GE Renewable Energy is currently developing the Haliade-X 12MW, the world’s biggest offshore wind turbine.