Largest floating wind project in the Med for Sicily

Italian subsidiary firm Renext Solutions, which is owned by the photovoltaics and initially onshore wind energy firm Renexia, has contracted British engineering firm Aker Solutions to design the underwater substations for the project off the coast of Trapani.

Aker will design eight modules, two for each section of the park, to be laid on the seabed some 660 metres deep. It is the first time the company has worked on an offshore wind project in the Mediterranean.

Cables will be laid at that depth and send the electricity to Partanna and Partinico power stations on land.

“From the early stages of the project, we’ve worked together with ABB to identify the most sustainable, robust and cost-effective solutions” said Jo Kjetil Krabbe, executive vice president of Power Solutions at Aker Solutions. “The award also represents a step forward in our strategy to support international offshore wind developments in growing areas like the Mediterranean Sea.”

Hydrographic surveys have already been carried out, with collected samples and analyses identifying the most suitable areas for the entire plant, which will cover an area of 850km².