German energy company EnBW and compatriot engineering outfit Aerodyn are testing a one-tenth scale prototype floating platform supporting two wind turbines on a lake near Bremerhaven.
The companies then plan to test the Nezzy 2 platform in the Baltic Sea, and, if the tests are positive, the model will be tested at full-scale with a partner in China.
The aim of the research project is to develop a new offshore technology in which wind turbines float on the water surface, the companies said.
EnBW head of wind and maritime technology Hannah Konig said: “The potential is huge. With the new technology, countries and ocean areas with great depths of water come into question and thus expand the possibilities of regenerative energy generation.
“We are testing the Nezzy 2 model in a partnership with Aerodyn because it combines many technical innovations.”
EnBW plans to use floating systems for future projects.
“France, in particular, is an interesting market for us together with our subsidiary Valeco,” said Konig.
In 2018, Aerodyn successfully tested a previous concept with a 1:10 turbine in the sea off Japan.
Nezzy 2 is equipped with two rotors and has so far been tested on a scale of 1:36 in an artificial wave channel in Cork in Ireland.
Aerodyn managing director Sonke Siegfriedsen said: “We are convinced that Nezzy 2 will enable the international offshore wind industry to generate wind power from the sea even more cost-effectively in the future.
“With EnBW, we were able to gain a partner who brings our 10 years of experience in the construction and operation of offshore wind farms to our test.”