Orsted and the infrastructure division of Acciona will explore options for floating offshore wind foundations under a new memorandum of understanding.
As part of the Orsted-Acciona agreement, the companies will work together to reduce floating wind levelised cost of electricity (LCoE) and environmental footprint, industrialise the fabrication of concrete foundations, and establish a European supply chain to support Orsted’s European project pipeline for floating wind.
The collaboration will combine Orsted’s expertise in offshore wind with Acciona’s experience in large-scale construction projects and focus on carbon reduction through the use of carbon-neutral materials.
A key element of the Orsted-Acciona MoU will be to jointly explore the use of carbon-neutral bio-cement, bio-concrete, and other materials and solutions that support Orsted’s and Acciona’s biodiversity and carbon reduction goals.
Rasmus Errboe, Executive Vice-president and CEO of Region Europe at Orsted said: “The goal of our collaboration with Acciona is to take floating wind from the innovation to the industrialisation stage. Orsted intends to further grow our European floating pipeline, with Spain being a key market of interest for us. Advancing floating wind technology and bringing it to market is a key strategic aim for Orsted’s floating wind programme, and supply chain partnerships are the way to do just that.”
Huberto Moreno, CEO of Acciona’s construction division, added: “This alliance will help us accelerate the development of our business as a supplier of offshore platforms for the wind power industry. The expertise that Orsted brings to the table, as well as Acciona’s knowledge – as a group – of infrastructure and renewable energy, will be key to the success of this agreement.”