Gazelle Wind Power has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Bridon-Bekaert Ropes Group (BBRG) for the supply of mooring lines for the dynamic mooring system of its 2 MW pilot floating wind project at the Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands (PLOCAN).
Dublin-based Gazelle has developed a hybrid floating wind platform with a dynamic mooring system which received a statement of feasibility from DNV in September 2021. Two months later, the company signed an MOU with Maersk Supply Service to develop the 2 MW PLOCAN pilot plant by the second quarter of 2023.
Gazelle plans to further develop a 15+ MW platform based on its hybrid floating wind technology, also in cooperation with Bridon-Bekaert Ropes Group.
“In order to unlock the massive offshore wind market, we have to significantly reduce the LCOE while making platforms lighter and easier to assemble. BBRG’s unique global experience and advanced offshore rope solution technology was the last critical piece we needed to deploy our unique hybrid dynamic mooring system. They bring the technical know-how not only for our pilot plant but will play a key role for our larger – 15MW plus – systems” , said Gazelle CEO Pierpaolo Mazza .
The company’s hybrid floating wind platform is said to be more compact and simpler to build, deploy, and maintain than other floating platforms, which translates to a dramatically lower levelized cost of energy (LCOE).
For the mooring system, Gazelle says it combines the best features of tension-leg and semi-submersible platforms, enabling wind farms to be placed in deep waters as far out as 400 metres.
The platform has 70 per cent less horizontal movement than semi-submersible platforms, with a tilt of less than 1 degree, and 80 per cent less mooring tension load than tension leg platforms, according to Gazelle.