A four-year project that aims to extend the life of materials used in the offshore wind industry and reduce operation and maintenance costs has kicked-off
‘Materials solutions for cost Reduction and Extended service life on WIND offshore facilities’ (MAREWIND) aims to pave the way for the next generation of offshore wind turbines and facilities.
With a budget of €6.7M (US$8.1M) from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, MAREWIND has ambitious targets.
The targets include enhancing corrosion protection systems; developing new antifouling solutions that do not use biocides; erosion protection (including protection against leading edge erosion); mechanical reinforcement of wind blades; predictive modelling and monitoring; and increasing recyclability.
The partners in the project want to maintain and improve the performance of materials used in the offshore wind industry, optimise material costs and improve durability, significantly reduce lifecycle costs, and reduce the impact of offshore wind projects on the environment.
They anticipate that doing so will strengthen Europe’s position as a leading player in the global offshore wind market and create growth and jobs by strengthening the European industrial base.
The partners in the project will validate prototypes, results and costs using accelerated testing in a real-world environment.
The project consortium includes 16 partners from seven European countries, including developers such as EDF, sustainable infrastructure solutions company Acciona, and technology providers and research organisations across Europe. The project co-ordinator, Lurederra Technology Centre in Spain, will oversee the implementation of nine work packages.
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