Marine Power Systems (MPS) have joined forces with Plataforma Oceánica de Canarias (PLOCAN) to deploy their floating offshore wind platform, PelaFlex, at an expected grid-connected test site on the southeast coast of Gran Canaria.
PLOCAN will work with MPS regarding a pre-consented and grid-connected site for the testing of their technology and the associated export infrastructure. PLOCAN will support offshore operations from deployment through to the ongoing maintenance of MPS’s technology and performance monitoring.
PLOCAN was set up to support research, development, and innovation in marine sciences and technology through a joint initiative between the Government of the Canary Islands and the Government of Spain.
The public consortium is seeking approval from the central government to grant the management of a new public offshore domain devoted to research and development activities, suitable for the demonstration of floating offshore wind farm technologies.
The archipelago has several suitable areas, and this will be the largest in Gran Canaria, said MPS.
PLOCAN is already home to several floating wind technologies, including X1 Wind’s floating prototype .
Several companies have already chosen MPS’ modular floating platform technology for their offshore wind projects.
“Our flexible floating offshore wind platform technology has been designed to optimise local content delivery through a decentralised logistics model, and these benefits help utility scale developers minimise costs whilst maximising local economic benefits and accelerating industrial scale farm development”, said Gareth Stockman , CEO of MPS.
In September 2022, MPS awarded a contract to Windsy for the supply and deployment of the wind turbine to be used on the megawatt-scale wind and wave energy hybrid demonstrator.
A month later, the company secured another contract with one of the co-managers of the Aguçadoura test site offshore Viana do Castelo to deploy PelaFlex at the Portuguese test site.
In October 2022, MPS partnered with Simply Blue Group to develop a project proposal for the Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas (INTOG) leasing round run by Crown Estate Scotland.
The collaboration between Simply Blue Group and MPS would see six wind turbines deployed on the MPS floating platform in water depths between 60 and 100 metres, delivering a total of 100 MW.
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