EDP to Install Floating Offshore Wind Project in Portugal

EDP, a Portuguese power company, currently controls an offshore wind energy generation project located in the north of Portugal and anticipates finishing it in another six months period.

The wind project located off Aguçadoura, in the north part of Portugal, will incorporate a prototype model of the floating wind turbine to generate 5 MW power. The company plans to install five more such wind turbines during the second phase before commissioning the project.

The floating offshore expertise known as WindFloat utilized in the project is patented by Principal Power, an engineering company of USA. The offshore platform incorporates a triangular shaped floating structure that stays with the level of the sea surface complete with a sunken floating column located below each of the triangular shape at its maximum angle to enable it to be anchored at the seabed.

The wind turbines will be erected over the triangular structure with adequate water dislodgement systems to preserve the stability of the installation. The project is estimated to cost around €4.3 million per MW production of electric power.