| Ultra light-weight, corrosion resistant, concrete hull using motion-mitigation to reduce cost and improve performance.
TECHNOLOGY
Building off of the success of the University of Maine’s patented VolturnUS concrete hull technology, VolturnUS+ provides a lighter weight hull, enhanced through motion mitigation technology.
DEVELOPMENT
Arpa-e phase I funding through Atlantis program
Arpa-e phase II funding received 1:4 scale demonstration project planned
State of Maine – Gulf of Maine Research Array The Governor’s Energy Office submitted an application to BOEM to lease a 15.2 square-mile site in the Gulf of Maine for the nation’s first floating offshore wind research site in federal waters.
INNOVATION
Concrete construction gives benefitsover steel
VolturnUS+ streamlined concrete hull technology provides the same benefits as VolturnUS, with the added advantage of being lighter, less expensive, and easier to deploy.
Industrialized pre-cast bridge construction techniques that can be made anywhere in the world using locally sourced material and labor
Lower cost per ton; lower overall Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE)
Higher corrosion resistance than steel; lower Operation and Maintenance (O&M) costs and longer design life
Heavier than an equivalent steel system; low center of gravity and high center of buoyancy yield excellent wave motion resistance
Optimized & Simple Design
Barge style hull uses less material with a simple geometric design allows VolturnUS+ to utilize motion mitigation technology unfeasible in more complex designs
Simple design also allows for faster construction and deployment.
Mobility & Ease of Deployment
Low tow-out draft allows for deployment in shallow water harbors around the globe. VolturnUS+ can be disconnected and returned to port for maintenance or turbine upgrades
Lighter, smaller design requires less infrastructure needs in deployment.