NOWITECH Annual Report 2015

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Annual Report 2015 31 NOWITECH Norwegian Research Centre for Offshore Wind Technology
an energy revolution with energy systems handling
100 percent renewable sources” said Unni Steinsmo,
CEO SINTEF (2004-2015). The laboratory building
has a net floor area of 5400 square metres, and
houses seven distinct laboratories: High-voltage
lab, Ageing test lab (for ageing tests of cables
and other electrical power system components),
Subsea lab, Short circuit lab, Combustion lab, High
current lab, and Power
system electronics lab.
The research partners
also have access
to research infrastructure through
international cooperation, especially through
EU projects, e.g. HYDRALAB IV, MARINET and
EERA IR lso taking part in
develop n research infrastructure
through (2013-2015). This is
a Europ m on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) preparatory phase (PP) project
coordinated by DTU (DK). The objective is to
provide catalytic and leveraging support towards
the construction of the facility. The operational
European WindScanner facility is expected to
become a distributed and mobile research infra-
structure for lidar based 3-D wind speed measurements. SINTEF Energy Research participates
in this as a Norwegian node coordinating work
between the Norwegian stakeholders, including
NOWITECH and NORCOWE research parties, to
establish such lidar based facilities in Norway.
RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE
The research partners have access to strong
research infrastructures. This includes in-house
labs, e.g. the wind tunnel at NTNU (11x3x2 m),
ocean basin lab at MARINTEK (80x50x10 m),
SmartGrid lab at NTNU/SINTEF and the new
SINTEF Energy Lab, and field facilities like the
test station for wind turbines at Valsneset, four
met-masts at Frøya, EFOWI (lidars and met-ocean
buoys) together with NORCOWE, and the DIPLAB
mobile short-circuit facility operated by SINTEF
Energy Research. The research infrastructures
generally are developed with separate contracts
external to NOWITECH, but prepared in alignment
with NOWITECH.
The SmartGrid lab is currently going through a
very significant upgrade with new equipment for
hardware in the loop testing, grid emulation and
flexible set-up of AC and DC systems. The lab has
a broad use, but highly relevant also for research
in grid connection of offshore wind farms. The
funding from the RCN to realize this upgrade is
highly appreciated. The same goes for the RCN
support for establishing the EFOWI and DIPLAB
facilities.
The new SINTEF Energy Lab opened in 2015.
SINTEF has built the lab using own funds to
continue to be in the forefront of international
research and contribute to competiveness of
the industry. “World leading laboratories are a
necessity for developing the energy solutions for the
future. The task we face is no less than to carry out
The research partners have
access to strong research
infrastructures.
Figure 12: The new SINTEF Energy Lab opened 2 September 2015 with the presence of the Their Royal
Highnesses Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit.