GE Wins Two Offshore Wind Research Awards

The National Offshore Wind Research & Development Consortium (NOWRDC) has awarded support to two GE’s research projects, one developing a robust joining process for large iron castings and one focused on the use of an Autonomous Inspection Vessel (AIV) for offshore wind turbines.  

GE said on 3 February that GE Renewable Energy and GE Research were awarded support from the National Offshore Wind Research & Development Consortium for research designed to help boost the development of the fast-growing US offshore wind sector.

One award reinforces research to develop a robust joining process for large iron castings, including a multi-fidelity modeling framework for splitting and welding offshore wind castings. 

Increasing the capability to produce large castings for offshore wind turbines can help enable and accelerate job growth and create a more efficient US supply chain, according to the company. 

The second award focuses on the use of an Autonomous Inspection Vessel (AIV) for offshore wind turbines. The research is designed to oversee a feasibility study on the application of an autonomous vessel-based multi-sensing system for long-duration and region-wide inspection. Monitoring of offshore wind turbine fleets will be conducted with minimal to no operational interruption. 

According to GE, the vessels, which would involve a visible-range camera and be controlled remotely via satellite, would reduce inspection costs, minimize turbine downtime, and enhance workplace safety.

“We appreciate the support of the National Offshore Wind Research & Development Consortium. These awards reinforce the critical role that technology innovation will play in tapping the full potential of offshore wind in the US”, said Christy Guthman, GE’s General Manager of Sales and Commercial Operations in North America.

Back in 2021, NOWRDC supported five projects with a total of USD 8 million in grid interconnection and transmission. GE Research won funding for its project named DC Collection and Transmission for Offshore Wind Farms and Offshore Wind Consultants for Shared Landfall and Onshore Cable Infrastructure for Cable Colocation Feasibility Study. 

A year earlier, NOWRDC supported two GE’s research projects, one focusing on condition-based maintenance and the other on radar-based wake optimization of offshore wind farms. 

GE’s Haliade-X turbine was selected for multiple projects in Maryland and Massachusetts. In Massachusetts, the turbine will be part of the first US large-scale offshore wind farm, Vineyard Wind 1.

Last year, Ocean Winds also selected GE Renewable Energy as the preferred wind turbine supplier for its 1.1 GW offshore wind farm in New Jersey.

The 14 MW Haliade-X was the industry’s first offshore wind turbine of that capacity, with Haliade-X being the only 12+ MW offshore wind turbine platform that has been operating for over two years, GE says.  

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