Floating wind specialist Saitec Engineering has been awarded €2.4M (US$2.9M) of funding by the European Commission under its ‘Blue Economy Window’ call
The funding for Saitec’s SATHScale project will allow the company to address the challenges involved in taking SATH floating wind technology from prototype level though technology validation and demonstration to a technology readiness level suitable for commercial-scale projects and industrial readiness.
In June, the company agreed a plan with the Biscay Marine Energy Platform (BiMEP) to test a 2-MW-scale ‘DemoSATH’ floater off the Basque Coast. That project will use a 2-MW wind turbine installed on a 67 m by 30 m wide floater that will be installed in a water depth of approximately 85 m.
The SATH (swinging around twin hull) concept was developed specifically for the floating wind market to reduce capex and opex costs and enhance local content. Saitec is currently participating in calls for tenders and developing commercial projects in several countries, with a particular focus on the UK, France and Japan, where the company has its own subsidiary, Saitec Offshore Japan KK.
Saitec Engineering head of R&D Carlos Garrido-Mendoza said, “SATHScale is an important project for us, that will enable us to industrialise and scale up SATH technology. It will help us to move forward to the required level of commercial maturity.”
SATHScale will focus on the development of an industrialised fabrication system for mass production of the floating wind structure, and will address issues such as manufacturing, logistics, installation, commissioning, operations and maintenance and decommissioning. It will also enable the company to demonstrate the SATH concept is suited to supply chains around the world.
Also to be examined in more detail during SATHScale is design optimisation in terms of cost and the dynamic behaviour of the floater.
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