The project proposes a horizon of cost reduction in the medium term in order that floating offshore wind power reaches an LCoE (Levelized Cost of Energy) that allows it to compete with other sources of renewable generation.

For this, the project proposes to address a series of challenges:

     • Concurrent design of the different systems of the floating wind turbine for an optimized production.

     • Integrated and advanced simulation of the whole wind turbine-platform-anchor-umbilical cable.

     • Validation of the technology, first in a test tank using a demonstrator at scale and then at a real scale.

     • Optimization of manufacturing processes, launching and installation.

All these activities will mean the positioning, not only of the consortium participating in the project, but of the Basque Country and its industry, in an incipient sector that has a growth potential even greater than that of fixed offshore wind.

The most important differential fact of the project is the design, the definition of the construction and start-up of the demonstration project with local means: all the elements and means available, except for the umbilical cable, can be developed, built, installed and tested with existing capacities in the Basque Country.

This is an unbeatable showcase for the development of a sector with enormous potential, a sector in which some of the members of the consortium are already positioning themselves. This is the case of VICINAY or NAVACEL, which have supplied the mooring lines and the towers and transition piece, respectively, of the Hywind Scotland demonstration project, which has 5 floating wind turbines of 6 MW each. The project is promoted by Statoil, which has contracted the construction of the floating structure (Spar type) to the consortium formed by Navantia and Windar. The Basque company Nervión Industries, has worked with this consortium in the manufacture of the pieces, of almost 15 m in diameter and 85 m in length.

As a summary, the FLOW proposal proposes a work program for the development and experimental validation at real scale of a floating wind turbine, bringing together the main industrial and institutional players, with the aim of positioning the Basque Country as a reference pole in the design, construction and validation of solutions for offshore wind in deep waters. This operation aims to demonstrate the technical-economic feasibility of a specific solution, but also to position the Basque industry as a supplier of products and services for offshore wind in general.