The Malta Environment and Planning Authority has opened public consultation on a 36-turbine floating wind farm project off the northeast coast of Malta proposed by the Swedish company Hexicon. A closing date for the consultation period will be additionally announced.
According to a Project Description Statement, the offshore wind farm will comprise 36 turbines set on a hexagonal-shaped 460-metre-wide platform. Hexicon strongly believes the wind farm could be constructed and running by June 2014.
The 54MW-capacity floating wind farm will generate approximately 9% of the energy currently provided by the two existing power stations. It will be located on the northeast of Malta 11 nautical miles from shore, where water depths range from 100 and 150 meters. The platform would be anchored by cable with the capability of turning 360 degrees within 30 minutes.
The technology for large-scale, floating platforms for wind and wave power was examined by the Swedish Energy Agency, the Malta Resources Authority and the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment of the Republic of Cyprus, and the EU has decided to support Hexicon in pursuing its investment program for renewable energy.
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Offshore WIND staff, February 27, 2012; Image: hexicon