Stiesdal confirms TetraSpar floating wind demo installed off Norway

Working closely with its partners Shell, RWE and TEPCO, Stiesdal will undertake a series of tests on the floating foundation, which is fitted with a 3.6-MW Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy direct drive offshore wind turbine. The company said cable installation is planned for late summer.

The test site at the METCentre is approximately 10 km from shore in water depths of 200 m.

“All of this has been made possible through excellent support from our key suppliers, including but not limited to Welcon (manufacturing), Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (wind turbine), DSM (Dyneema ropes), BMS (onshore operations), Bourbon (offshore operations), Blue Power Partners (project management) and Port of Grenaa and METCentre,” said the company. “It would not have been possible without dedicated contributions from the teams at Shell, RWE and TEPCO.”

The TetraSpar foundation is a tetrahedral structure assembled from tubular steel components. Stiesdal believes it offers important competitive advantages with its potential for lean manufacturing, lean assembly and installation processes, and low material costs.