Japanese partners to test advantages of TLPs in place of catenary moorings

MODEC, which specialises in floating solutions for the offshore oil and gas industry, is to collaborate with Toyo Construction and Furukawa Electric to apply the tension leg platform (TLP) concept to floating offshore wind substructures.

They hope their project will help to reduce the capital expenditure and operating costs of floating wind turbines. Together, they have been selected by Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) to undertake a two-year research and development project.

“This research and development project aims to reduce the overall cost of floating wind turbines by adopting TLPs instead of catenary moorings,” the project partners explained.

“Taking advantage of the stability of a TLP, MODEC, Toyo Construction and Furukawa Electric will develop a low-cost, next-generation platform and mooring system with the structural reliability required for a floater capable of operating with a turbine of in excess of 10 MW.”

They note that compared to catenary moorings, the seabed area occupied by mooring lines from a TLP is significantly reduced, and the potential impact on fisheries and shipping operations minimised.

MODEC will be responsible for studying the TLP, Toyo Construction is responsible for foundation design and offshore construction, and Furukawa Electric for subsea power transmission.