Aberdeen engineering and consultancy firm Enventi is looking to come up with a floating solution to UK Government cost targets for offshore wind energy.
Eventi, which also has offices in Cheltenham and Luxembourg, said the work was already well-advanced.
It added: “We may proceed to full life-cycle cost-analysis if sufficient appetite exists”.
The project springs from UK Government electricity market reform proposals highlighting the key role that offshore wind can play in future energy policy.
But Westminster wants to see a substantial reduction in the cost of energy from today’s level of around £175 for each megawatt hour (MWh) of power produced to £100/MWh by 2020.
Paul Lavelle, Enventi’s technical director, said conventional technology could not be used a starting point.
He added: “Moving to far-shore locations with intermediate water-depths, such as the majority of UK Round 3 (offshore wind development) sites will only result in higher costs.
“Instincts tell us that a floating solution offers huge potential in cost reduction.”
Eventi said its study was being led by people with “vast experience of offshore installation and marine operations”, supported by leading organisations in areas such as mooring systems, floater design and fabrication.
Mr Lavelle added: “This is not an academic-led exercise, an approach which we feel is overly prevalent throughout the offshore wind industry today.”
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