Agreement signed for WindFloat Project
2MW wind turbine integrated with first of its kind floating platform technology
WindPlus is a joint venture company led by the EDP Group, one of the major European energy utilities, with partners including Principle Power Inc., a technology developer focused on the offshore wind energy market, and several other entities. Its pioneer project, called the WindFloat Project, is said to have the potential to lay the foundations for further development of the offshore business while helping to exploit the enormous offshore potential worldwide.
The contract with WindPlus as per Vestas includes delivery, installation and commissioning of a Vestas V80-2.0MW wind turbine for the project, which will be located off the Portuguese coast. Turbine delivery will take place in 2011. Moreover, Vestas will be the technology reference for the project, supporting the integration of the wind turbine and the WindFloat platform.
Principle Power’s WindFloat is a patented semi-submersible floating structure for offshore wind turbines with a simple and economic design. Innovative features of the WindFloat dampen wave and turbine induced motion, enabling offshore wind turbines to be sited in previously inaccessible locations where water depth exceeds 50 meters and wind resources are superior.
The system integrating the V80-2.0 MW wind turbine and the floating structure will be tested for no less than 12 months with a focus on performance, validation of the WindFloat and turbine control optimization. In addition, commissioning/decommissioning and operation and maintenance studies will be conducted.
Pending results of this project, the successful deployment of the first 2 MW semi-submersible floating platform carries the potential to become the first commercial semi-submersible floating platform for wind offshore electricity generation. Thus, it represents a great opportunity for the implementation of future offshore projects worldwide, especially in regions with large and deep coast lines.
