Acciona Energía Puts Money Behind Four-Armed Floating Offshore Wind Turbines

Spain’s Acciona Energía has acquired 24 per cent of the capital of Eolink, a French company specializing in the development of floating offshore wind foundations, becoming the main shareholder in the process.

The operation, subject to certain conditions, follows a financing round launched by the French startup to boost its floating offshore wind technology and take forward the maturation of its first 5 MW unit as a commercial technology.

Eolink was created in November 2015 with the aim to develop an innovative floating wind concept where four arms replace the classic single mast supporting the turbine.

This is said to allow for a lighter structure and a better distribution of the load, reducing installation and maintenance operations. In addition, the wind turbine’s anchoring system allows it to change its position naturally to face the wind, optimizing costs and maximizing its performance, Acciona said.

The first pre-commercial unit is expected to be installed at the SEM-REV test site, off the coast from Le Croisic, France, in 2023. With a height of 150 metres and a 5 MW capacity, Eolink’s floating wind turbine will provide enough electricity to power 3,500 homes.

Acciona Energía’s entry into the capital of Eolink is expected to strengthen the startup’s financial structure for its development in the short and medium term.

Gravity-based solutions, suitable for shallower waters, are at an advanced development stage, but the floating solutions that are needed for deeper waters have not reached a commercial level of maturity yet, Acciona Energía said.

This technology is necessary for the development of the offshore wind sector in countries with a deep coastal shelf, such as Spain and Portugal, where programs for the implementation of offshore wind projects are already underway.

Spain aims to install between 1 GW and 3 GW of offshore wind by 2030, while Portugal announced its first offshore auction this summer with the goal of having installed between 3 GW and 4 GW by 2026.

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