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For further details of this upcoming Wind Turbine User Group and to register your place, please visit the event website
Could you briefly explain your role, involvement, and experience related to the focus of this event?
Sam Weller (SW): I am Technical Lead of Offshore Structures, Moorings & Innovation with TTI Marine Renewables having worked in the offshore renewable energy sector over the past 17 years. My current focus is on modelling dynamic offshore structures, such as floating wind turbines and associated subsea components including complex synthetic rope behaviours.
In your experience, what has been the biggest roadblock for the industry over the past 2-3 years?
SW: The biggest challenge for UK floating wind projects over the past 2-3 years seems to have been demonstrating cost competitiveness (with other forms of generation) whilst dealing with rising project costs and supply chain issues, such as skill shortages. As a former apprentice the offshore wind sector target of 5% apprentices by 2030 mentioned in a recent Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult report is encouraging.
What key topics are you excited to discuss at this year's conference?
SW: I will be providing an overview of a design optimisation approach that we’ve developed, including its application in recent floating wind projects. What is exciting about this approach is that it can rapidly identify design solutions concurrently for mooring systems and dynamic cables and consider their impact on the global platform responses and project costs.
What do you consider to be the key areas of innovation in this industry, both in the UK and internationally?
SW: As turbine (and platform) sizes increase so do the station keeping load capacity requirements of the mooring system. This is likely to require large vessels for certain offshore operations which tend to be in high demand. An innovative approach to mooring system design, installation and through-life operations is required, particularly when considering that commercial arrays will comprise many tens of turbines.
Who else are you most interested in hearing from on the programme?
SW: The design work I’m involved in considers both the short- and long-term performance (and reliability) of components and systems. I am therefore interested in the talks related to system reliability and predictive maintenance modelling, in particular novel ways to approach these topics when there have been only a few floating wind deployments to-date.
Why is it important for engineers to join this conference?
SW: The WTUG meeting will provide a great opportunity to find out about the latest developments in the wind turbine sector and network with representatives from industry and academia.
The Wind Turbine User Group 2025 takes place on 14-15 May 2025 in London
Now in its third iteration, this specialised technical forum brings together representatives from across the UK wind energy community to share successes, demonstrate technical innovations, address common industry challenges and exchange ideas.
Featuring technical presentations and case studies, peer reviewed by a senior committee of engineers in the industry, the User Group agenda is specifically curated to meet the needs of all end users working with wind turbines and their related assets, both in onshore and offshore settings.
To view the full list of presentations and to book your place, visit the User Group website - book before 14 March 2025 to secure the Early Bird discount and save 10% off.