Ørsted, University of Oxford partner on foundations design

Danish offshore wind developer Ørsted A/S (CPH:ORSTED) last week said it has signed a five-year research agreement with the University of Oxford to optimise the design of offshore wind turbine foundations.

As foundations account for a significant part of total wind turbine capital costs, more advanced geotechnical designs for foundations can be a key factor in reducing costs, the company explained. The research will focus on cyclic loading, the repeated loading from wind and waves on the structure, as well as the operation of the turbine. Cyclic loading is an important element of safe design, especially for deeper water and larger turbines, Ørsted said.

"This partnership will enable us to further mature our foundation designs to support even bigger turbines in even deeper waters, lowering costs and risk level at the same time," commented Christina Aabo, head of R&D at Ørsted Wind Power.

Ørsted is collaborating with several universities to improve offshore wind turbines. It is currently working on wind turbine design with Durham University. With the University of Oxford, the developer has partnered on various projects over 10 years.

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