Inspenet, September 19, 2023.
Floating offshore wind power delivering results
The DemoSATH floating offshore wind project, led by the Basque engineering company Saitec Offshore Technologies in collaboration with RWE Offshore Wind of Germany and The Kansai Electric Power (KEPCO) of Japan, has achieved significant progress by starting electricity production .
During last August, DemoSATH was installed in the offshore test area known as BiMEP, located in Armintza, Basque Country in Spain. Subsequently, operations were carried out to connect the static cable lying on the seabed with the dynamic cable. This last cable has been designed to absorb platform movements caused by waves and was connected to the turret at the front of the platform.
Since then, the necessary tasks have been carried out to put it into operation (commissioning). In this way, the energy generated is integrated into the electrical grid through the BiMEP substation.
The DemoSATH platform, positioned 2 miles off the coast of the Basque Country, is equipped with a turbine capable of producing up to 2 MW of renewable energy. Its annual production is equivalent to the approximate electricity consumption of 2,000 homes for one year. This project marks a significant milestone, as it introduces floating offshore wind energy generation technology into the mix of renewable energy sources for the first time in Spain.
Project operation
The commissioning marks the start of a two-year operation period, during which data will be collected on the performance of the SATH technology, developed by Saitec Offshore Technologies. Monitoring will be carried out using systems installed on the wind turbine to evaluate its interaction with the environment.
These systems include smart technology designed to identify and prevent collisions with birds and bats, as well as systems for observing biodiversity in the marine ecosystem, such as populations of crustaceans, other invertebrates, fish and cetaceans. These monitoring activities will provide data on how different groups and species behave in the vicinity of the floating offshore wind turbine.
Furthermore, within the project, environmentally friendly solutions are being evaluated, specifically designed for the SATH system, with the purpose of promoting the biodiversity of the oceans and the sustainability of fishing resources in floating offshore wind farms.
The DemoSATH project marks a significant milestone in the industry, becoming the first floating offshore wind turbine connected to the grid in Spain . It is the fifth floating technology in Europe that has a turbine of more than 1 MW installed in open waters and the third concrete-based technology that reaches this level of development.
The success of this project has been achieved thanks to the collaboration of the partners involved: Saitec Offshore Technologies, responsible for the design of the SATH technology and leader in the development of the project; RWE Offshore Wind, which contributes its extensive knowledge in the field of floating wind and KEPCO, with its experience in the energy sector.
In addition to the contribution of the partners, it is important to highlight the work carried out by the supplier companies and the institutional support provided by the Spanish Government. This support comes from the Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving (IDAE) and the Center for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI), as well as the Basque Government through the Basque Business Development Agency (SPRI), BEAZ and the Basque Energy Agency (EVE).
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