Technip launches floating offshore wind turbine project

Technip (Paris:TEC) is launching Vertiwind, a project that will test a pre-industrial prototype of a floating offshore wind turbine with a vertical axis. Associated with Technip in the project are Nénuphar, Converteam and EDF Energies while its partners in the project are Seal Engineering, ISITV, IFP Energies nouvelles, Arts et Métiers, Bureau Veritas, Oceanide.

Floating offshore wind turbines are seen as opening up new areas for offshore wind farms by freeing them from the constraints of fixed foundations. Technip is a pioneer in this area, having been awarded the contract for engineering, fabrication and installation of the first Hywind floating wind turbine developed by StatoilHydro. Hywind was installed mid June 2009 off the west coast of Norway, where it is currently under evaluation. Hywind has a conventional, horizontal, wind turbine.

Technip will be responsible for the design of the Vertiwind floater, mooring system, dynamic electrical connection cable, turbine integration and on-site installation.

The Vertiwind project has been endorsed by the Maritime Cluster of France’s Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur region. It is among the first projects that will receive funding through a new “Investing for the Future” program sponsored by the French Prime Minister through the French Environment and Energy Management Agency.