Innogy SE (ETR:IGY), Royal Dutch Shell Plc (AMS:RDSA) and Stiesdal Offshore Technologies A/S (SOT) have teamed up to develop a project in Norway that will demonstrate SOT's TetraSpar floating wind foundation concept.
The companies will invest about EUR 18 million (USD 20.7m) in the demonstration project, which will use a 3.6-MW Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy SA (BME:SGRE) direct drive offshore wind turbine and will be located at the test site of the Marine Energy Test Centre (Metcentre) near Stavanger, Innogy said today. The floating turbine is planned to be deployed next year, some 10 km (6.2 miles) from the shore in water depths of 200 metres (656.2 ft).
According to the announcement, TetraSpar's modular concept offers significant cost reduction opportunities for floating wind, with the potential for leaner manufacturing, assembly and installation processes with lower material costs.
"The floating offshore wind market is evolving but until now, floating foundations have been stubbornly expensive," said Hans Buenting, chief operating officer Renewables of Innogy. "This demonstration project will give us a better understanding of how the cost can be driven down," Buenting added.
According to Dorine Bosman, vice president Shell Wind Development, the company's investment in the TetraSpar project provides it with early access to a new technology that could help it become a leading player in the field.
SOT's chief executive Henrik Stiesdal said that the experience of Innogy, Shell and Siemens Gamesa "combined with the competences of our manufacturing and installation partners, Welcon A/S and Blue Power Partners A/S, will put us on the fast-track for rapid commercialisation."
The foundation will be produced and assembled in Denmark. The turbine will be installed in the port of Grenaa and then towed to site, where it will be moored to the seabed with three anchor lines and connected to the grid.
The project will be carried out by a company, in which Innogy and Shell will have a 33% share each, with the rest held by SOT and its parent company.
(EUR 1 = USD 1.150)
Choose your newsletter by Renewables Now. Join for free!
TetraSpar concept (main structure and suspended keel). Source: Innogy (news.innogy.com)
