Norwegian company Wind Catching Systems is cooperating with Aibel and the Institute for Energy Technology to commercialise a new floating wind solution.
Wind Catching Systems, which is owned by Ferd and North Energy, said its technology will cut acreage use by more than 80% by combining several 1MW turbines.
The company said it is also supported by Innovation Norway.
It added that the technology will have a design life of 50 years and will cost less to maintain than today’s floating offshore wind solutions.
“One Wind Catching unit is five times as efficient as a conventional offshore wind turbine and can produce energy for 80,000 households,” the company said.
Wind Catching Systems chief executive Ole Heggheim said: “Wind Catching will make floating offshore wind competitive as soon as in 2022-2023, which is at least 10 years earlier than conventional floating offshore wind farms.
“In co-operation with our main contractor Aibel, we will commercialize this groundbreaking technology that dramatically increases the efficiency of floating wind farms and cuts acreage use by 80%.
“Our goal is to enable offshore wind operators and developers to produce electricity at a cost that competes with other energy sources, without subsidies.
“Simply put, we will deliver floating offshore wind at the costs of bottom-fixed technology solutions, which provides great opportunities on a global basis for the Norwegian supplier industry.”
Ferd investment director Erik Bjorstad said: “The goal is to complete the technical testing and verification during 2021 and to offer commercial development solutions in 2022.
“Wind Catching has significant competitive benefits compared to conventional floating offshore wind technologies and we see great opportunities for the Norwegian supplier and export industry.”
North Energy investment director Rachid Bendriss said: “Wind Catching will challenge today’s established technology suppliers with its groundbreaking and patented design.
“With our technology, offshore wind operators and developers will achieve the productions costs that they hoped to reach in 2030-2035 in a shorter timeframe.
“Should the technology verification confirm what we aim for, there are significant opportunities for Wind Catching Systems’ technology in major development projects in the North Sea, off the US West coast and in Asia in the coming decades.”