European Test Sites Unite to Back Floating Offshore Wind Demo Projects

September 25, 2024, by Adnan Durakovic

Five European offshore wind test sites have formed HiPoTeSis, a new alliance aiming to improve conditions for floating wind demonstration projects.

BiMEP, CEO, Foundation Open-C, METCEntre and Plocan have created HiPoTeSis. This collaborative network of five operational offshore demonstration test sites aims to provide the European Union with the future high-power infrastructure for testing new floating wind projects. The alliance will meet the common challenges of the sector, the most important being permitting.

”Testing and demonstration projects are absolutely necessary to bring costs down in floating offshore wind,” said Arvid Nesse, CEO of METCentre in Norway.

In a seminar hosted by World Forum for Offshore Wind at WindEnergy Hamburg, the test sites presented their action points: Implementing fast track permitting system for demo projects; inclusions of two annual demo projects in relevant EU calls; creating new European support scheme for co-investments in infrastructure; and initiating better incentives for data sharing.

”With a target of 10 GW by 2030, it is crucial to standardize and industrialize floating technologies between 2024 and 2030. To remain a leader, the EU must develop this infrastructure and act now to stimulate innovation,” said Bertrand Alessandrini, General manager of the OPEN-C Foundation.

In Europe, test sites are subject to the same permitting procedures as commercial parks, which take years to complete.

”Our experience is that the permitting process could be more straightforward, considering these permits are intended for a limited number of turbines, for a limited length of time and already located in testing areas, compared to commercial wind farms,” said Carlos Pinho, President of the Board of Directors at CEO.

Establishing grid infrastructure at the test sites to prepare for the next generation of floating offshore wind turbines requires substantial capital investments. Substations and export cables to shore are examples of infrastructure that need to be in place.

”Our test sites are essential for the acceleration and success of the industry in Europe, and that is a compelling argument for increased funding schemes,” said José Joaquín Hernández Brito, Director from Plataforma Oceánica de Canarias (PLOCAN, Spain).

In their agreement, the test centers point out that the floating offshore wind industry in Europe can secure global leadership. The test center alliance HiPoTeSis calls for more incentives to share data from EU funded projects to drive innovation.