Norway’s Wind Catching Systems AS, the developer of the Windcatcher floating offshore wind technology, has secured a pre-project grant of NOK 9.3 million (USD 0.9 Million) from ENOVA.
Wind Catching Systems has been awarded the grant to support the initial implementation of a full-scale Windcatcher.
Through the pre-project, Wind Catching Systems will mature and validate the technology and cost estimates for a full-scale Windcatcher.
”This is the second grant Wind Catching Systems has received from ENOVA. The support from ENOVA is a strong validation of both our technology and our team. We are now fully focused on maturing our technology towards our first offshore installation,” said Ole Heggheim , the CEO of Wind Catching Systems.
The Windcatcher is a floating wind power plant based on a multi-turbine design.
Through having multiple turbines on a single floating platform, Wind Catching Systems said it will maximize the energy production per floating structure while enabling a self-contained maintenance system eliminating the need for specialized vessels to support offshore maintenance operations.
With the Windcatcher, a wind power system specifically designed for floating offshore wind, Wind Catching Systems said it will solve some of the central challenges facing floating wind such as drastically reducing acreage use per MWh of electricity produced while minimizing complexity and cost of operations and maintenance.
The technology is expected to cut acreage use by more than 80 per cent and increase efficiency significantly in comparison to conventional floating offshore wind farms.
Wind Catching Systems’ technology is projected to have a structural design life of 50 years, should cost substantially less to maintain than conventional floating offshore wind solutions, and will aim to solve sustainability issues related to recycling, marine resources, and CO2 emissions from installation and maintenance.
One Wind Catching unit is expected to have the same annual production as five conventional 15 MW offshore wind turbines.
The pilot project is planned to be installed at Mehuken wind park on the Norwegian west coast in 2023. In the development phase, Wind Catching Systems will cooperate with companies like Zephyr, Aibel, The Institute for Energy Technology (IFE), and DNV.