Korean-Dutch Consortium Fast-Tracks MSPAR Floater, Targets 15+MW Wind Turbines

South Korea’s Daewoo Engineering & Construction CO., Ltd has signed a Joint Technology Development Agreement for the MSPAR floating offshore wind turbine foundation with the Netherlands-based Monobase Wind B.V.

The consortium aims to jointly develop the MSPAR floater within the next four years and have the foundation ready for commercial rollout in 2025.

The concept is said to be disruptive in that it allows for inshore assembly of the entire wind turbine system at quaysides requiring no more than 10 to 15 metres of water depth, and in – situ have a draught of 60-70 metres for wind farms in water depths of over 70 metres and turbines with a capacity in excess of 15 MW.

The design of the MSPAR foundation can be adapted to suit most deepwater areas and metocean conditions in the world, Monobase Wind said.

The MSPAR Floater will be designed to allow for maximum local content for fabrication, installation, and maintenance, and will likely include a substantial reduction in CO2 emissions during transport and installation, according to the Dutch company.

The consortium combines more than 20 years of experience and know how in the field of maritime structural design and fabrication of ships and structures for the naval and offshore industry in general and renewable energy in particular.

Monobase Wind and Daewoo E&C said they are confident the MSPAR Floater will prove to be an economically viable and sustainable offshore wind turbine foundation which will solve many issues currently encountered by developers and their investors.

The consortium will fast-track the development of the technology and aims to complete conceptual design and model testing in April 2022, complete Basic Design and certification in principle by the end of 2022, and present a full-scale demonstrator to the market in the course of 2024.