Spain has recently achieved a significant milestone for the renewable energy transition by connecting its first-ever floating offshore wind turbine to the grid, marking a momentous step toward harnessing wind power from the sea.
(Photo : Saitec Offshore Technologies)
The DemoSATH project has reached a significant milestone - the commissioning of its turbine, which is now fully operational and generating clean energy.
Spain's First-Ever Floating Offshore Wind Turbine to the Grid
Saitec Offshore Technologies, an engineering firm in Spain, spearheaded the DemoSATH project. The company collaborated with RWE Offshore Wind, a German energy company, and Kansai Electric Power (KEPCO), a Japanese company.
Electrek reported that this groundbreaking initiative was deployed in August off the coast of the Basque Country, precisely at the BiMEP testing zone located in Armintza.
This groundbreaking endeavor, known as the DemoSATH floating offshore wind project, features a formidable 2-megawatt (MW) turbine. Notably, the power generated by this turbine is equivalent to fulfilling the annual electricity needs of approximately 2,000 Spanish households.
The term "SATH" stands for the project's unique floating platform design, while "Demo" conveys its experimental nature. The turbine boasts an impressive rotor diameter measuring 96 meters or 315 feet.
Custom-designed tools for the precise identification of bird and bat species have been incorporated into the infrastructure, alongside advanced systems for monitoring the biodiversity of the marine ecosystem in the immediate vicinity.
These ongoing monitoring initiatives are poised to yield valuable data regarding the behaviors of various groups and species in the proximity of the floating offshore turbine.
Furthermore, the project will encompass the assessment of eco-friendly solutions specifically tailored to the SATH platform, aiming to promote marine biodiversity and enrich fishing resources within floating offshore wind farm environments.
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Previous Steps
In August, the Renewable Energy Magazine reported that Spanish engineering firm Saitec Offshore Technologies successfully deployed the DemoSATH project in collaboration with Germany's RWE Offshore Wind and Japan's Kansai Electric Power.
This achievement marks the fifth installation of a floating technology with a turbine exceeding 1 MW in the open sea in Europe. Additionally, it is the third concrete-based technology to attain this advanced stage of development.
Over the next two years, data from this pilot initiative will be meticulously collected and analyzed. Davis Carrascosa, Chief Operating Officer at Saitec Offshore Technologies, expressed pride in their pioneering efforts.
He emphasized that this project serves as a practical testing ground to acquire firsthand knowledge and experience, which will be instrumental in shaping future large-scale projects.
Sven Utermöhlen, CEO of RWE Offshore Wind, expressed his satisfaction with the successful commissioning of DemoSATH, highlighting its significance in RWE's broader mission to tap into the vast potential of floating wind technology on a global scale.
He emphasized RWE's commitment to becoming a leading player in the floating wind sector, focusing on countries with deeper coastal waters, such as the United States, France, United Kingdom, and Norway, aside from Spain.
Utermöhlen emphasized the importance of gaining early experience through projects like DemoSATH, which serve as valuable stepping stones for future commercial-scale floating wind endeavors.
According to Offshore Wind, the unique concrete-based platform and single-point mooring design of DemoSATH contribute to expanding RWE's expertise in innovative floating wind concepts.
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