Windstaller Alliance installs DemoSATH floating offshore wind turbine in Spain

The SATH concept is a concrete twin-hull barge structure that supports a 2 MW turbine. The design has a single point of mooring, which means it aligns itself to the current and wave direction. Saitec Offshore has developed the SATH concept. The global energy companies RWE Offshore Wind and Kansai Electric Power Co. (KEPCO) are Saitec Offshore’s partners for the project.

Following final assembly in Bilbao, Spain, the floating wind turbine was towed two miles offshore to the BiMEP test site in 85 m water depth, where it was safely and successfully installed.

The Windstaller Alliance managed tow, hook-up, and dynamic cable installation of the floating wind turbine.

Windstaller Alliance utilised the specialities of all three alliance partners for the project. Aker Solutions provided engineering and project management support, while the cable installation was performed utilising competence and resources from DeepOcean. The main installation vessel, Solstad Offshore’s Normand Sapphire, was mobilised from Norway, equipped with cable installation spread in addition to its regular towing, anchor handling and ROV capabilities.

The complete work scope, covering pre-survey, tow, mooring connection, and cable installation and connection, was successfully executed by the Windstaller Alliance in less than 14 days. The mooring system was already installed at the test site, in preparation for the hook-up.

“The project was executed safely and swiftly, assisted by favourable weather conditions and excellent support from Saitec. The methodology utilised for the project is definitely transferable to other floating offshore wind projects worldwide. We are delighted to have contributed towards realising Saitec’s innovative and highly competitive floating offshore wind turbine project,” said Guro H. Løken, Managing Director of the Windstaller Alliance.

The three alliance partners have been involved with approximately 70% of floating wind projects in Europe. Aker Solutions has manufactured the concrete hulls for the Hywind Tampen floating wind farm offshore Norway, while Solstad Offshore has been involved with installation of the Hywind Tampen, the Hywind Scotland offshore wind farm, Hywind Demo, Floatgen, and the TetraSpar floating wind turbine pilot near Karmøy, West Norway. DeepOcean has installed the export cable to the WindFloat Atlantic floating offshore wind farm offshore Portugal.

“We established the Windstaller Alliance to cut the amount of unnecessary supplier interfaces and thereby reducing technical and commercial project risk for offshore wind projects. We believe we have demonstrated the benefits of such a complete and cost-efficient service offering to Saitec Offshore for the DemoSATH project,” added Løken.

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