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Turbine assembly Begins for First Floating Wind Farm in Continental Europe

Ferrol, Spain - The installation of the first Windfloat Atlantic turbine on its floating platform yesterday begun (2019-07-17) in the outer harbor of Ferrol in northwest spain.

This step marks a major milestone for the Windfloat Atlantic project and the offshore wind energy sector as this is the largest turbine until now ever to be installed on a floating platform.

According to the company EDP Renováveis (EDPR), the majority shareholder of the project, the fabrication and load out of this first Windfloat was successfully completed last week in Fene, and the platform has been moored to the quayside in Ferrol, where the installation of the wind turbine will begin. The assembly will take place over the coming weeks in preparation for the offshore operations, scheduled for the end of summer, when the floating structure will depart for its final destination off the coast of Viana do Castelo (Portugal).

The project belongs to the Windplus consortium, which is jointly owned by EDP Renováveis (54.4 percent), ENGIE (25 percent), Repsol (19.4 percent) and Principle Power Inc. (1.2 percent). The three turbines that comprise the wind farm will be mounted on floating platforms anchored to the seabed, and will collectively deliver an installed capacity of 25 MW - equivalent to the energy consumed by 60,000 homes in one year. As EDPR point out, additionally, the technology has great advantages that make it more accessible and affordable, including its assembly by standard onshore cranes on dry land (at the port) and the use of common maritime transportation methods, such as tugboats, instead of expensive offshore installation vessels.

According to EDPR, Windfloat Atlantic uses cutting-edge technology from Principle Power, which enables the installation of floating platforms in deep waters that were previously inaccessible, and where abundant wind resources can be harnessed. The wind farm will be located 20 kilometers off the coast of Viana do Castelo, where the water depth reaches 100 meters.

Among the suppliers that have made this project possible are Principle Power, Navantia/Windar Joint Venture, A. Silva Matos Group, Bourbon, along with turbine supplier MHI Vestas, and cable supplier JDR Cables.



Source: IWR Online, Jul 07 2019