EIA clears path for commercial-scale floating wind turbine to be tested

The PlemCat test site in the LEBA 1 commercial area in the Spanish sector of the Mediterranean – where X1 Wind’s X100 8.5MW platform will be tested – has secured approval for the environmental impact assessment for the project.   

A notice confirming the approval of the EIA for the test site for the NextFloat project was published in Spain’s Boletín Oficial del Estado on 8 July 2026.

The NextFloat project is important because it will be the first time X1 Wind has deployed a commercial-scale platform. The company’s innovative foundation for floating wind turbines combines the stability and low environmental impact of a tension-leg platform with the cost-efficiency of semi-submersible structures. 

An 8.5-MW downwind turbine with a diameter of 160 m will be installed on the X100 platform, paving the way for the commercialization of X1 Wind’s X150 platform, which is designed for turbines of 20MW+. 

One of the key advantages of the tripod-shaped X1 Wind design is that the primary steel structure only weighs 1,500 tonnes, a weight saving of 30-50% compared to conventional steel floaters installed in European pre-commercial projects of a similar scale.

The pilot project will see the 8.5-MW unit operate for a number of years, providing data to support prototype certification and enable commercial-scale deployment and full-scale commercialization. The X100 platform also recently received a statement of compliance from DNV, confirming that it meets international safety, engineering and technical requirements. 

X1 Wind co-founder and chief executive Alex Raventós said, “Obtaining the EIA for the PlemCat site is a key achievement for the NextFloat project. Coupled with basic design certification from DNV, it demonstrates that our technology is safe, environmentally responsible, and ready for deployment. This brings us one massive step closer to making floating offshore wind cost-competitive globally.”

Technip Energies NextFloat project manager Jacques Vendé said the companies “are now in a strong position to advance towards financial close and our commercial-scale pilot… paving the way for a future of low-cost floating offshore wind.”

The NextFloat Project is being supported by private capital, EU funding, the French state and the Spanish Government.