Saitec Group, through its Itsas Wind unit, has started an environmental impact assessment (EIA) for a 45MW pilot floating offshore wind farm 10km off the coast of Bilbao, Spain.
The Green Energy Research for Offshore Atlantic (Geroa) project will use the Sath concrete floating platform technology, developed by Saitec, to install three 15MW turbines.
The developers estimate that the project will start operations in 2025.
Saitec said Geroa will promote the development of offshore wind power nationwide, helping to demonstrate the technical and environmental viability of floating offshore wind power and its high decarbonisation potential.
Local employment and the consolidation of the Basque value chain as an offshore wind hub will also be promoted, it added.
Saitec Offshore director of operations David Carrascosa said: “It is of vital importance to develop pre-commercial projects such as Geroa that serve as a test bed, not only for the industry involved but also for the public administration so that all together we can gain experience before reaching the project auctions commercials that are to come.”