UK start-up Frontier Technical is leading a consortium to develop a floating platform able to host a wind turbine and energy storage device.
In the £1.4m Marlin Star project, funded by the Energy Catalyst programme, Plymouth-based Frontier Technical will progress the development and commercialisation of the modular platform, designed to support a 2MW wind turbine.
The platform’s controllable float modules fit into standard ISO shipping containers and assembly is completed underwater without the need for large port infrastructure or heavy floating crane vessels.
The concept is aimed at countries where remote offgrid coastal communities can benefit directly from local offshore renewable energy generation.
The Marlin modular floating platform is the patented invention of engineer Trevor Hardcastle (pictured).
He said: “Our intention is for the configurable Marlin floating platform to be a UK innovation success story.
“We will apply UK research, technology and manufacturing expertise and export to countries in need of replacing fossil fuels and wood burning with cost-effective sustainable renewable energy that can be operated and maintained locally.”
“I’m excited to see the Frontier Technical vision starting to take shape and look forward to working with our partners in the project.”
The UK consortium partners include the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, which will undertake market analysis and the mechanical testing, assembly and initial demonstration of the floating platform.
Durham University’s Energy Institute (DEI) will carry out sociotechnical research in island communities in Bangladesh and India.
Engineering services firm Francis Brown Ltd will progress offshore fabrication and Tension Technology International will work on a synthetic mooring and anchoring system, with Plymouth Marine Laboratory deploying and testing the platform offshore.
The consortium will also be joined by India-based The Energy and Resources Institute, providing social science research in coastal communities in Gujarat state in India.
ORE Catapult business development head Stephen Robertson said: “The Marlin Star project is a great example of UK ingenuity and collaboration, with huge potential as a floating wind solution for powering off-grid coastal communities.
“We are extremely pleased to be part of a consortium responding to the call of an international innovation challenge, especially as it reinforces the UK’s strengths in offshore renewable energy.”