Probabilistic hazard analysis of extreme environmental conditions for offshore wind turbines

• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2047/D20200503

The development of renewable energy sources is a critical global need, and offshore wind energy is a particularly promising source. The Atlantic coast and Gulf of Mexico of the US, with large wind resources and proximity to major population centers, are natural places for such development, but so far the US still does not have a single utility-scale offshore wind turbine (OWT) in its waters. Europe, in contrast, installed its first OWT more than 30 years ago and currently has several gigawatts of installed capacity. Although experience in Europe provides important insight for the US, the presence of hurricane risk in the US means that new methods must be developed for assessing financial risk and designing/certifying OWTs for the hurricane-prone US coastal environment. This study presents research results and plans to advance understanding of the hurricane risk posed to OWTs.