Griffith and his team of University of Texas at Dallas researchers recently demonstrated through extensive testing that the prototype works. The design shows promise for capturing untapped potential energy from wind blowing across deep ocean water.
The next step is to build and test the design on a larger scale, as high as 500 feet tall. Ultimately, the offshore turbine would stand up to 900 feet tall, about the height of a 72-story skyscraper, and generate electricity from winds over the deep ocean miles from the coast and out of view from land.
Griffith recently received a $4.42 million research grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to move the project forward, extending a $3.3 million grant awarded in 2019 for a total investment of $7.72 million. The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) award is part of the Aerodynamic Turbines, Lighter and Afloat, with Nautical Technologies and Integrated Servo-control (ATLANTIS) program, which is aimed at developing new and potentially disruptive innovations in floating offshore technology. The research is not tied to any existing offshore wind energy farms.
Griffith’s design has a vertical axis of rotation, which differs from traditional three-blade horizontal-axis turbines. The turbine sits on a platform partly above and partly below the ocean’s surface and is attached to the sea floor with cables. Unlike a traditional turbine design, the generator and controls are at the water level in the platform, providing greater stability and facilitating maintenance. A cable along the sea floor delivers electricity to land.
Researchers are developing innovative features to ensure the design’s safety.
The project includes collaborations with other universities. UTD researchers tested the prototype at the University of Maine, which has a research facility that can simulate wind and wave conditions. The researchers also have tested and will continue to test their design in UT Dallas’ wind tunnel, the Boundary Layer and Subsonic Wind Tunnel.
“In the U.S., we have a major opportunity to develop offshore wind energy systems that can enhance energy capacity to the power grid in coastal areas,” said Griffith, professor of mechanical engineering in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science. “To access wind energy in deep ocean water, however, we need a different solution. Our turbine is designed to make offshore wind power safe, efficient and affordable.”
