Spanish floating wind prototype delivers first kWh

The milestone marks the world’s only floating wind platform currently installed with a TLP mooring system, which reduces environmental footprint and improves compatibility with other sea uses. It’s also Spain’s first floating wind prototype to export electricity via a subsea cable.

“Our first kWh follows a particularly intense period of activity after the dynamic cable lay, platform load-out and installation,” said Adrian Oliva, electrical engineering manager, X1 Wind.

“Now generating power, we’ve commenced a second phase to assess the floater behaviour during operation.This all forms part of X1 Wind’s extensive testing verification programme to fully validate the platform in real world operational conditions and de-risk our technology.”

First power

Power is fed into PLOCAN’s offshore platform smartgrid via a 1.4km underwater cable connected to a 20kV transformer.

Local teams will now enter the last phase of a rigorous test and verification programme which started with the platform installation in November 2022.

The novel X30 platform is equipped with a specially adapted V29 Vestas turbine and ABB power converter. Another key design feature, developed through the EU-backed PivotBuoy Project, combines advantages of SPM and TLP mooring systems.

Its proprietary SPM design enables the floater to ‘weathervane’ passively and maximise energy yields, with an electrical swivel ensuring electricity transfer without cable twisting. The TLP mooring system also dramatically reduces the seabed footprint, in addition to its suitability to move into deeper waters.

X1 Wind’s X30 platform is also equipped with all the electrical systems that the commercial platforms will contain, including a commercial turbine, power converter, transformer, slip-ring and dynamic cable as well as X1 Wind’s in-house SCADA system with multiple sensors to control and monitor the platform’s behaviour in real-time.

All this data is being fed into the commercial scale design which is advancing fast working closely with certification body DNV.

Achieving this important milestone is largely due to close cooperation with world-leading suppliers as well as PivotBuoy project partners.

The PivotBuoy Project officially comes to a close on 31 March 2023, but X1 Wind has requested an extension of the testing period until May before decommissioning the prototype as foreseen in the EU funded project.