Multi-Turbine Floater Unveiled, Costs Said to Be On Par with Fixed-Bottom Offshore Wind

A new floating wind system using multiple 1 MW turbines has been unveiled by a Norwegian company which said this floating wind technology could produce electricity at fixed-bottom prices.

Wind Catching Systems, majority owned by Ferd and North Energy, has entered into cooperation with Aibel as the main contractor to commercialise the new floating wind system on whose development the two companies are also working with the Institute for Energy Technology.

According to the developer, the technology – which will have a design life of 50 years – can cut acreage use by more than 80 per cent, significantly increase efficiency in comparison to conventional floating offshore wind farms, and will cost substantially less to maintain than today’s floating offshore wind solutions.

One Wind Catching unit can produce energy for 80,000 households, Wind Catching Systems said, adding that the multi-turbine solution would also solve sustainability issues related to the recycling and reuse of turbine blades, marine resources and CO2 emissions from installation and maintenance.

“Wind Catching will make floating offshore wind competitive as soon as in 2022-2023, which is at least ten years earlier than conventional floating offshore wind farms”, said Ole Heggheim, CEO of Wind Catching Systems.

The technology developer and its partners plan to complete the technical testing and verification this year and offer the solution commercially in 2022.

“With our technology, offshore wind operators and developers will achieve the productions costs that they hoped to reach in 2030-2035 in a shorter timeframe”, said Rachid Bendriss, Investment Director at North Energy.