Japanese shipping company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has revealed that it will invest in Dutch floating wind technology developer TouchWind and will obtain a minority share in the company.
TouchWind is developing a floating wind turbine with a tilting, angled one-piece rotor. A small-scale prototype was installed in May at Fieldlab Green Economy Westvoorne in the Netherlands.
The prototype has a rotor diameter of 6 metres and will be tested at the location for the installation, mooring and anchoring, as well as for the ecological impact on the location at the lake.
With a financial investment, field testing of TouchWind’s tilting angled one-piece rotor floating wind turbine can be expanded as well as new research into positive wake effects, said the companies.
“Field testing with a 6m diameter rotor is in full preparation at the Oostvoorne lake in the Netherlands. With MOL as a shareholder and their investments we can speed up our testing programme, prove our technology and reduce time to market,” said Rikus van de Klippe , Founder and CEO of TouchWind.
Last year, the two companies signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the joint development of floating wind technology with a primary focus on the further development of TouchWind’s one–piece rotor floating wind turbine.
“We are pleased that we can continue the journey with TouchWind and have become a shareholder of the company as we see exciting potential in their technology,” said Ryota Hayashi , General Manager responsible for Wind Power Projects Units in MOL.