Despite the swell that agitates the sea on this July morning, the three wind turbines that stand in front of us seem motionless. Impossible to detect with the naked eye the slightest oscillation that would disturb their immense blades stirring the air imperturbably. And yet, unlike almost all offshore wind turbines in service in the world, these are not placed on the seabed but just anchored, a bit like oil platforms. These are called floating wind turbines and they are revolutionizing the renewable energy market.
We are on the pioneer site of WindFloat Atlantic, the first to have been created in 2011, 18 km from the port of Viana do Castelo, in the north of Portugal. The adventure began with a prototype, before culminating in a demonstrator connected to the Portuguese electricity grid in 2019. A project led by Ocean Winds, a joint venture half-owned by the French Engie and the other by the Portuguese group EDP. For the floats, the duo relies on the company Principle Power, which has developed a particular design. Seawater circulates between the columns to ensure the stability of the platform. Ocean Winds believes in this technology so much that it bought out 36% of Principle Power’s shares. A way to prepare for the great battle that is beginning.
The design of the floats was created by the company Principle Power. @Ocean Winds – Principle Power
Wind turbines even in the Mediterranean
For the moment, only one other floating park has been put into service elsewhere in the world, in Scotland. But the sites are numerous and calls for tenders are multiplying everywhere for the years to come. It must be said that floating wind power has potential. It is not limited to a maximum depth of 60 meters like the wind turbines found everywhere in the North Sea. This will make it possible to install them in the Mediterranean, for example. Or to move away from the coast, with the advantage of making the installations less visible to local residents. That’s not all. “Going further offshore, you get more power and more consistent power output”adds Sergio Val, director of Engie European Renewables. “Another asset, the construction of the wind turbines is done at the quay and not in the open sea as for the wind turbine installed”, he adds. This makes their installation easier.
Numerous tenders for floating wind farms are underway around the world. Amelie Charnay
France wants to become the leader in floating in Europe
For the operator of the electricity transmission network RTE, floating should represent half of the capacity of French wind turbines at sea in 2050. A necessity, even, if we want to meet the objectives of 40 GW by this date set by President Emmanuel Macron during the Belfort speech. The Minister for Energy Transition Agnès Pannier-Runacher has even clarified since that this was a level but not a ceiling. Having started after all our European neighbors in the race for off-shore wind power, our country now dreams of becoming a leader in terms of floating. An ambition not so disproportionate as that with our four maritime facades which form the largest exploitable territory of the European Union.
Production costs still very high
We currently have only two experimental wind turbines in our waters. Not for long. Three pilot parks, initiated under François Hollande, are being developed in the Mediterranean: Provence Grand Large, led by EDF renewables off the Gulf of Fos-sur-Mer, EFGL, led by Engie in the Gulf of Lion, and EolMed, led by Quadran Energies Marines (TotalEnergies), off Gruissan. Three heavyweights launched to conquer the market. The stakes are high since the results of the first tenders for commercial parks will begin to fall this fall. First that of South Brittany, with a capacity of 250 MW, then two others of 250 MW in the Mediterranean.
Remains a catch: for the moment, the cost of production is three times more expensive than the wind posed. An obstacle that Sergio Val brushes aside. “Admittedly, it is impossible to find a financial balance with a pilot project of only three turbines. But there will inevitably be a scale effect with parks that will have five times more”he assures.
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2023-08-20 01:22:04
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