8.4 MW ABS-classed floating wind turbine installed off the coast of Portugal

It is the first of three ABS-classed, SEMI Submersible Type units designed by Principle Power housing MHI Vestas turbines that will make up for a total of 25 MW of floating offshore wind power.

"Floating turbines enable us to reach offshore wind resources in water that is too deep for conventional bottom-fixed turbines. It is breakthroughs such as this that will make a vital contribution to the global transition to clean energy," said Christopher J. Wiernicki, ABS Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer.

The project is developed by the Windplus consortium, which is jointly owned by EDP Renováveis, ENGIE, Repsol, and Principle Power Inc. and is scheduled to go online at the end of 2019. The development is based on the same principles as the original Principle Power designed concept, Windfloat 1, that was installed off the coast of Portugal in 2011.

Thanks to their floating foundations, floating offshore wind farms are not subject to the same depth restrictions as fixed structures and can be at any depth. With the development of larger turbines above 10 MW and research focused on shallow water moorings, the floating technology may even be an alternative to traditional bottom-founded technologies in intermediate water depths in the future.

Read the article online at: https://www.energyglobal.com/wind/05112019/84-mw-abs-classed-floating-wind-turbine-installed-off-the-coast-of-portugal/