Hydrodynamic Modelling of Offshore Renewables: Experimental Benchmark Datasets and Numerical Simulation

The transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources is critical to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase global energy access and security. To harness the abundant renewable energy resources from and at the ocean, the European Union has set ambitious targets to increase its installed capacity of offshore renewable energy technologies by 2050. To reach these targets, the levelized cost of energy of emerging offshore renewables must be reduced in which accurate and efficient hydrodynamic models are paramount to maintain low expenditures and agility throughout the design process.

The present dissertation revolves around the hydrodynamic modelling of offshore renewables with emphasis on offshore wind turbines (bottom-fixed and floating) and wave energy converters. To establish credibility of hydrodynamic models, verification and validation are vital. The dissertation presents validation experiments dedicated to the construction of public experimental benchmark datasets as well as numerical studies aimed at improving the understanding of the governing hydrodynamics and the suitability of different hydrodynamic models for selected flow problems. Furthermore, the dissertation accounts for hydrodynamic investigations of the early designs of a large monopile with perforations, to reduce fatigue wave loads, and the wave-activated body of a wave energy converter.