UPDATED: First floating windfarm in continental Europe fully operational

Following connection of the last of the three turbines to the 20-km export cable connecting the windfarm to the substation at Viana do Castelo, construction is now complete. WindFloat Atlantic has total installed capacity of 25 MW.

The project is led by the Windplus consortium, comprising EDP Renewables (54.4%), Engie (25%), Repsol (19.4%) and Principle Power Inc (1.2%). Two of the semi-submersible platforms were built at shipyards in Setúbal, Portugal and the third was constructed at Avilés and Fene in Spain.

In addition to Principle Power, the other partners in the project include the Navantia/Windar joint venture, A Silva Matos Group, Bourbon, the wind turbine supplier MHI Vestas. JDR supplied the dynamic cables for the project.

WindFloat Atlantic begun exporting power in late 2019, when the first of the three platforms was connected to the mainland on 31 December. Each of the floating foundations has an 8.4-MW V164-8.4 turbine from MHI Vestas.

The first WindFloat Atlantic foundation and turbine departed for its destination off the coast of Viana do Castelo in Portugal in October 2019.

The foundations developed by Principle Power are semi-submersible units that can be towed into place with the turbine installed, obviating the need for heavy-lift vessels offshore and reducing installation costs significantly.

WindFloat Atlantic builds on the success of the WindFloat1 prototype, which was in operation between 2011 and 2016. The 2-MW prototype successfully generated energy uninterruptedly for more than five years, surviving extreme weather conditions including waves up to 17 m high and 60-knot winds.

The trio of V164-8.4 MW turbines are the largest wind turbines installed on a commercial floating windfarm anywhere in the world.

The project site is located 20 km off the coast of Viana do Castelo in Portugal in a water depth of 100 m.

MHI Vestas project director Allan Birk Wisby said, “Achieving full power at WindFloat Atlantic is a major milestone for floating offshore wind and for MHI Vestas. This landmark has been achieved thanks to years of collaboration between the project partners, and as a result, floating offshore wind technology is now truly benefiting Portugal.”

MHI Vestas has also been selected as preferred supplier for the Eoliennes flottantes du golfe du lion (EFGL) project, which is being developed by a consortium including WindFloat Atlantic partners EDP Renewables and Engie.The EFGL project is expected to use three V164-10.0 MW turbines and will also make use of Principle Power’s WindFloat platform.