The MIAMI project «Development of multi-material structures for offshore applications with severe fatigue stresses and durability in marine environment» has as main objective the development of a new multi-material component with high structural requirements for the offshore wind sector, thus demonstrating technically and economically the advantages of the use of composites (carbon and/or glass fiber reinforced plastics) in typical steel structures.
In this way, these developments will make it possible to achieve improvements in terms of durability and weight reduction of critical wind turbine components. Thus, it will be possible to achieve a reduction in costs derived from both transport and installation operations, as well as from their maintenance and operation. Ultimately, the cost of energy generation will be reduced in line with the main drivers of the sector.
Galicia is a world reference in the construction and repair of high technology ships, having also become a wind power world player both for its installed onshore power, as well as for the industry of manufacturing components of wind turbines and maintenance of wind farms. MIAMI aims, therefore, to take advantage of the resources and current technological level of the Galician community for its application in a market with a very promising future potential.
The outcomes of the project will be validated in a prototype that will be installed in the experimental park of the Instituto Enerxético de Galicia (INEGA), located in Punta Langosteira, in A Coruña.