A part-scale prototype of a new single point mooring system will be installed at the Test Site of PLOCAN by a consortium of nine partners led by X1 Wind in 2020 within the framework of the PivotBuoy project (Advanced System for Cost-effective and Reliable Mooring, Connection, Installation & Operation of Floating Wind), led by X1 Wind and funded by the European Union in order to reduce the cost of floating wind energy.
Once proven, the technology stands to reduce platform weight by as much as 80 per cent and costs by 50 per cent, turning floating wind competitive. The project aims to validate the benefits of the PivotBuoy system and other key innovations to reduce installation, operation and maintenance costs, paving the path to achieve 50€/MWh in commercial scale wind farms.
The consortium will integrate a part-scale prototype of the PivotBuoy into a downwind floating wind platform designed by X1 Wind at PLOCAN’s test site. The system will be installed by 2020, where other innovations related to assembly and installation will be validated.
The first coordination meeting of the PivotBuoy project, led by X1 Wind and funded by the EU, took place on the 15th and 16th May in Brussels. The project, which main objective is to reduce the cost of energy of floating wind energy, has received 4 millions euros through the Horizon 2020 programme.
The project consortium combines experienced industry partners and R&D organisations from the offshore wind, naval and oil and gas sectors, and is formed by nine partners from six different countries: X1 Wind, ESM, WavEC, PLOCAN, EDP, INTECSEA, DTU, DNV GL and DEGIMA. The project started on April 1 and will last for 36 months.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement Nº815159.
