This book reports on the objectives, methods used and difficulties faced by the RAVE research projects, and presents the results and their significance for the future use of offshore wind energy in a style that is understandable for everyone. Readers are given a comprehensive overview of the current status of offshore wind energy research and the results of the research activities.   Offshore wind energy will play a significant role in our future energy supply, yet this development has really only just begun. A large team of experts from the fields of research, industry, public administration and government therefore set themselves the goal of investigating the current and fundamental issues relating to the use of offshore wind energy. They worked on interdisciplinary research projects with the aim of expanding our knowledge and finding application-oriented solutions. Their work has contributed to establishing offshore wind energy as a reliable, sustainable and economical long term source of energy.