Enova, Norway’s government agency for the energy transition, has awarded funding to Windeed and its partners to conduct a feasibility study for a full-scale demonstration of its innovative floating wind technology
The project is an important milestone in the development of Windeed’s floating wind foundation, and a significant step from concept validation to industrial implementation.
The study builds on a recent independent assessment by BVG Associates, which concluded that Windeed’s technology has the potential to deliver a materially lower levelised cost of energy (LCOE) than conventional floating wind solutions. The Enova-supported programme will now evaluate how these advantages can be translated into a commercially deployable project using Norwegian industrial capabilities.
Enova head of offshore wind Oskar Gärdeman said, “Floating wind is a crucial technology to meet the future demands on fossil free energy. We need to develop technologies that can disrupt conventional standards and present a step change in cost reductions. Windeed’s technology looks especially promising.”
Windeed chief executive Bertil Moritz said, “Floating wind must become commercially competitive if it is to play a significant role in Europe’s future energy system. Enova’s decision to support this study is an important validation of our technology and our approach to reducing costs through industrial simplification.”
The feasibility study will be undertaken in collaboration with Aibel and AF Gruppen and supported by a broader network of Norwegian industrial and research partners. Together, the participants will evaluate the complete delivery chain required for a future demonstrator, including fabrication, assembly, transportation, installation, operations and lifecycle performance.
The project aligns with Norway’s ambition to build a globally competitive floating wind industry by strengthening domestic industrial capabilities and demonstrating how existing offshore expertise can be transferred into a new export-oriented renewable energy sector.
Windeed’s aim when developing the concept was to reduce material consumption, simplify fabrication and installation, and minimise dependence on specialised harbour facilities and offshore construction vessels. These are among the key cost drivers currently limiting the competitiveness of floating wind projects worldwide.
“Achieving cost competitiveness cannot be achieved by optimizing components in isolation,” said Windeed. “It demands a holistic system perspective that optimizes the entire architecture from the seabed to the turbine, across its entire lifecycle, ensuring that mooring, foundation, turbine, and operation and maintenance work together to minimize both capital expenditure and long-term operational costs.
“The primary challenge facing floating offshore wind is no longer proving that turbines can operate on floating foundations. The challenge is achieving project economics that enable large-scale deployment while limiting long-term reliance on public support.”
The Windeed concept has secured approval in principle from Bureau Veritas for design reliability and been tested at Aalborg University’s test tank. It has also completed a concept risk and criticality assessment from Bureau Veritas.
“Norway has a unique opportunity to take a leading position in floating offshore wind. Through this study we will demonstrate how innovative design and strong industrial partnerships can contribute to making floating wind more competitive, scalable and attractive for future development,” Mr Moritz concluded.
