In recent years, Leibniz University Hannover (LUH) and TU Braunschweig have designed and extensively expanded the new large wave current flume (GWK+) in Hannover-Marienwerder. More than 35 million euros have been invested to massively advance GWK+ research focusing on the transition to an environmentally sound energy supply. Among other things, fixed and floating foundation structures for offshore wind turbines are investigated. The unique research infrastructure was inaugurated today in the presence of Robert Habeck (Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action) and Stephan Weil (Minister President of Lower Saxony) as well as Presidential Board members of both universities and leading researchers.
After a ceremonial push of the button to start the system, the first impressive wave of three metres in height built up in the 300 metre-long wave current flume. Because of the expansion, the large-scale research infrastructure now includes a powerful tidal current system, a deep section for investigating foundation structures of offshore wind turbines and a highly efficient wave machine capable of generating ocean waves up to three metres high. Due to the conversion, it is now possible to generate waves and currents at the same time – a new superlative for Hannover: no other facility in the world can achieve this.
“Wind energy plays a crucial role in Germany's electricity supply today and will continue to do so in the future. The use of wind energy must be expanded quickly and efficiently to meet the growing demand for electricity resulting from the electrification of other sectors, such as heating buildings with heat pumps or e-mobility. The wave current flume in Hannover will make an important contribution by facilitating research into optimising offshore foundations. This will make the expansion of offshore wind energy even more cost-effective and reliable. For this reason, and because of the many other aspects that can be investigated via the wave current flume, the 35 million euros in research funding provided by the BMWK is money well spent for the future", said Robert Habeck, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, in his speech.
Minister President Stephan Weil emphasised: “I am delighted that we now have this wave current flume in Lower Saxony, which is unique worldwide. This opens up new opportunities for research and industry to develop offshore turbines. Coastal protection, which is particularly important for Lower Saxony, can also be improved and investigated further by the simultaneous generation of waves and currents. Overall, this is a truly impressive facility. I would like to congratulate everyone involved in this process.”
Since the commissioning of the GWK in 1983, many ground-breaking research projects have been carried out at the facility. However, research approaches and requirements have changed considerably in recent times. So far, it has only been possible to generate waves. In order to expand the marine renewable energy sector (offshore wind energy, tidal/wave energy and others), installation and operation concepts over the life cycle of these structures as well as the influence of tidal currents become increasingly important. At the request of the participating universities LUH and TU Braunschweig, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK, formerly BMWi) therefore approved the research project "marTech – Development of Renewable Maritime Technologies for Reliable and Sustainable Energy Supply" in 2017 to meet the requirements of research and industry regarding the expansion and operation of renewable energies. Since then, more than 35 million euros have been invested to expand the large wave current flume (GWK+) in Hannover. The Ministry of Science and Culture of Lower Saxony (MWK) provided around 1.4 million euros of funding for planning and land purchase purposes. The GWK+ is operated under the auspices of the Coastal Research Centre (FZK), a joint facility of LUH and TU Braunschweig.
Prof. Dr. Angela Ittel (President of TU Braunschweig) and Prof. Dr. Volker Epping (President of Leibniz University Hannover) are delighted that the GWK+ is now ready to commence research activities. “This research infrastructure will be able to make a significant contribution to testing and developing renewable energy technologies, both onshore and offshore. This also promotes the key research area Energy, which Leibniz University Hannover has established in many areas in an interdisciplinary manner. In science, we will use our resources at Leibniz University Hannover to further accelerate the transformation of our energy systems at federal and state level", emphasised Prof. Dr. Volker Epping.
"We are contributing to Europe's energy transition and energy security with our outstanding research here at the large wave current flume. This unique research infrastructure allows us to investigate offshore wind and tidal energy systems under controlled conditions, therefore promoting Lower Saxony and Germany as a location for science and business. In cooperation with our industry partners, we develop solutions that are technically mature and internationally competitive at the highest level", said Prof. Dr. Angela Ittel, President of TU Braunschweig.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Torsten Schlurmann (Leibniz University Hannover) and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Nils Goseberg (TU Braunschweig), members of the board of directors of the Coastal Research Centre, explained the scientific and technical background of the extended wave current flume to the guests. "Here we can study the simultaneous strain caused by swell and currents and thus realistically investigate their impact on a large scale”, said Professor Schlurmann. In the future, experiments will also be able to simulate steeper and higher waves, as predicted by climate change, and simulate the loads on structures. For the first time, tidal currents can be studied as they occur in the sea with the new circulating current system. "The new deep section also makes it possible to simulate the part of offshore wind turbines that is in the ground and to study the movements of the ground and the turbine that take place there”, explained Professor Goseberg.
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