VIDEO: Bourbon installs first Kincardine floating wind turbine

NOVEMBER 27, 2018 — Floating wind turbines will play a key role in taking offshore wind farms into deeper waters. Last month, Spain’s Cobra Energia last month started exporting energy to the U,K. market from its Kincardine floating wind farm, located 15 kilometers offshore of Aberdeen in Scotland. Cobra calls the Kincardine project a pioneering facility that marks the “first milestone in the race for the most powerful floating marine wind farm in the world.”

Installation of the first Kincardine wind turbine was successfully completed this summer by Bourbon Subsea Services.

Bourbon says its experience in floating wind turbine installation enabled them to swiftly and efficiently execute the engineering phase of this turnkey project, initiated in May 2018. The delivery of the operational scopes, including towing the floater to Dundee, prelaying the four-leg mooring system and installing the fully assembled wind turbine on site, was optimized by taking advantage of the local supply chain.

The Bourbon project management team worked in a close collaboration with the main contractor, Cobra Wind, the designer of the semi-submersible floating foundations, Principle Power, and with the mooring system provider, Vryhof.

“Delivered on time, this safe and efficient installation strengthens Bourbon’s track record which dates back to 2011. It confirms our leadership position in the floating offshore wind farm installation market. We are delighted to have been selected for this pioneering project and to have deployed our experienced team to support Cobra Wind in reaching a key milestone of the 50 MW Kincardine Offshore Wind farm development” said Patrick Belenfant, CEO Bourbon Subsea Services.