First 'WindFloat' Floating Offshore Turbine Sets Sail

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GALWAY, IRELAND--December 9, 2011 --Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland) -- The first Windfloat floating offshore wind turbine took to the high seas this week, off the coast of Agucadoura, in Portugal.

Designed by renewable energy developer, Principle Power (Seattle, Washington), the full-scale 2 megawatt (MW) WindFloat turbine was launched with Portugese project partner, Energias de Portugal SA (OTC:EDPFY) (Lisbon, Portugal). WindFloat seeks to harness the greater wind power found further out to sea, where it's too deep for typical offshore turbines to be deployed.

Hailed as the first offshore wind deployment worldwide which did not require the use of any heavy lift equipment offshore, the WindFloat is a semi-submersible structure supporting a multi-megawatt wind turbine. After its pre-commissioning onshore at the Lisnave facility near Setubal, the WindFloat was loaded-out using a dry-dock and towed offshore more than 350 kilometres (km) in Atlantic waters. The WindFloat is also unique in that it can support off-the-shelf commercial wind turbines from any manufacturer.

The WindFloat follows in the footsteps of the Hywind floating offshore wind turbine, developed by StatoilHydro ASA (NYSE:STO) (Stavanger, Norway), and which was deployed off the coast of Norway in September 2009. For additional information, see September 15, 2009, article -- First Floating Wind Turbine Launches in Norway.

"The (deep) ocean is the next big energy frontier," said António Vidigal, CEO of EDP Inovação. "Deep offshore wind technology, in particular the WindFloat, will allow us to harness stronger and more stable winds, and in the medium term deliver sustainable energy into our electrical system. Now is the time for extensive testing and validation, moving forward in the development of this promising technology. The WindFloat positions EDP on the leading edge of offshore wind exploration."

WindFloat can be deployed in areas with water depths of 50 meters or more. The technology is based on the MiniFloat, designed by Marine Innovation & Technology (Berkeley, California), for use in offshore oilrigs. The semi-submersible platform dampens wave and turbine-induced motion.

Alla Weinstein, CEO of Principle Power, added: "This is an historic moment that takes your breath away. In a way we are making a similar leap towards new energy resources as the Oil & Gas industry did in the 1970's when it began using floating structures. Further, we have proven the capabilities of the Portuguese maritime industry to adapt and provide the necessary resources to successfully fabricate and deploy an offshore structure of this scale".

Principle Power and energies de Portugal first signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the WindFloat project back in February 2009. For additional information, see February 24, 2009, article - Principle Power and EDP to Develop Wind Power Project Off of Portugal's Coast.

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