Shell, Innogy and Stiesdal Offshore Technologies (SOT) will invest £18 million in the development of a new floating wind test turbine.
The three firms yesterday signed an investment and cooperation agreement where they committed to used a SOT TetraSpar floating foundation concept.
The project will also utilise a Siemens Gamesa 3.6 megawatt (MW) direct drive turbine.
Hans Bünting, COO Renewables of innogy SE, said: “These are exciting times. The floating offshore wind market is evolving but until now, floating foundations have been stubbornly expensive.
“This demonstration project will give us a better understanding of how the cost can be driven down. The industrialised approach of the TetraSpar design, combined with Innogy’s experience in delivering offshore wind projects, will enable large-scale, cost-effective deployment of floating wind projects around the world.”
The test turbine is due to be deployed in 2019 at the Marine Energy Test Centre (Metcentre) near Stavanger in Norway.
Shell, Innogy and SOT each have a 33% share in the project.
Dorine Bosman, VP Shell Wind Development, added: “This initiative could help to lower the cost of offshore wind energy while providing more options for development locations, giving access to higher wind speeds and deeper water depths.
“Building our offshore wind business is a key part of the Shell New Energies strategy. Investing in innovative projects such as TetraSpar gives us early access to a new technology that could help us become a leading player in this field.”
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