Statkraft Behind WindSea – The Next Generation Floating Wind Power Plant
Oslo, Norway June 26, 2008

WindSea, a joint enterprise between Statkraft, NLI Innovation and FORCE Technology, will today launch the next generation of floating wind power plant. The WindSea triple turbine will help overcome some of the most important challenges of wind power production offshore.

In 2007, wind power was traded for more than NOK 100 billion in Europe, and it is expected to reach triple that by 2020. Wind power production offshore has the potential to become a new offshore bonanza for Norway. Several turbine solutions are under development, and the WindSea concept is now being launched by the company of the same name. Statkraft owns 49 per cent of WindSea AS, whereas NLI Innovation and FORCE Technology own 25 and 26 per cent, respectively.

WindSea stands out from other projects in that it has three towers and three turbines - one in each corner of a triangle-shaped, floating platform. This makes the wind power plant far more stable and simplifies access for repairs and maintenance. In addition, installation and moving can be accomplished quicker and more efficiently. WindSea will have an installed effect of about 10 MW per platform. A wind power plant of e.g. 30 platforms (90 turbines) will produce more than 1200 GWh per year, enough electricity to supply 60,000 households. Preliminary calculations show that the investment cost per installed MW is competitive compared with alternative concepts.

"WindSea is an important contribution to the development of efficient and profitable wind power offshore. Statkraft has major ambitions for wind power, both on land and offshore, which requires new technical solutions," says offshore wind power manager, Carl Erik Hillesund.

Statkraft owns and operate three wind power plants in Norway, and has a substantial project portfolio under development in Norway, Sweden and the UK. The company is involved in the Norwind study of wind power on deep seas, and is an owner in the Sway sea turbine project. Statkraft is also cooperating with universities in Norway, Sweden and Denmark on a NOK 160 million ocean energy research program.

The WindSea project has been under development at FORCE Technology since the autumn of 2006 and the plan is to install a prototype as early as 2011. FORCE is one of the world’ s leading technology and consulting companies within specialised engineering services. The company works closely with the Danish and the international wind power industry. The NLI industrial group is a supplier of products and services related to engineering, manufacturing and acquisitions within oil, gas and land-based industry.

Read more here.

Source: Statkraft