EU floating wind flagship feeds back record-setting proof of techology's 'high power' promise
FloatGen unit built of a 2MW Vestas turbine and BW Ideol 'damping pool' platform rides out winter storms to deliver at maximum output 60% of the time in French Atlantic
The EU’s FloatGen floating wind flagship has run at maximum power almost 60% of the time through the last three months – much higher than conventional bottom-fixed turbines, furnishing further proof of the technology’s potential to delivery high and steady output from deeper water sites.
“FloatGen continues to deliver outstanding results in terms of reliability, efficiency and production,” said BW Ideol CEO Paul de la Guérivière. “[The unit’s performance] keeps on validating the merits of our unique floating wind technology, even in the harshest environments.
“Such repeated performance, high availability and consequently high capacity factor underlines the benefits of floating wind and its ability to capture the best possible wind resources without depth constraints, contributing to a much needed energy resilience in the process.”
Installed five years ago, FloatGen has operated in wind speeds of over 37 metres per second – equal to almost to 135kmh (85mph) – and waves more than 10 metres tall, moored in 33 metres of water at its test site off Brittany. In January, in the weeks after Atlantic storm Gerard blew through, the unit crossed the 25GWh total production milestone.