Editorial: Development of advanced methods for offshore integrated wind-wave power generation devices

Abstract

Editorial on the Research Topic Development of advanced methods for off shore integrated windwavep ower generation devicesThe huge amount of offshore renewable energy resources in deep waters has attracted tremendous interest worldwide. Different technologies have reached distinct Technology Readiness Levels (TRL), so far, confirming the intensive research, but also, the industrialization. Floating wind turbine technology has been regarded as an attractive and reliable solution for deep water areas, although it inherently has a number of technological challenges, such as the high cost and severe operational conditions. Already, floating wind turbines farms are in operation successfully without large downtimes and significant problems affecting their operation.However, compared with the offshore wind power generation, the wave energy technology has not yet been exploited in a commercialized scale. The most important inhibitors to the wave energy exploitation are both the functionality and the survivability of the energy devices subjected to the harsh ocean environmental conditions, as well as, their huge Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE).Many researchers have considered the idea of integrating Wave Energy Converters (WECs) with an offshore wind turbine, particularly with a floating offshore wind turbine for reducing the LCOE of both the wind and wave power generations in deep waters. In recent years, a large number of concepts and possible designs for combining WECs with a floating wind turbine have been proposed and experimentally tested, and even some demonstration projects have been carried out.