The Basque Energy Cluster has met up to share the latest on its activities in person Bilbao
One of the highlights of The Basque Energy Cluster’s Wind Power Sector Forum was a visit to the construction of the prototype of the DemoSATH floating platform by Saitec Offshore Technologies.
The DemoSATH prototype is the first Spanish floating marine wind turbine connected to the grid.
Saitec Offshore Technologies and RWE Renewables have joined forces to deploy this pilot project that aims to test a marine wind turbine off the Basque coast in 2022, using SATH technology.
DemoSATH
The aim of the pilot project is to compile data and acquire real knowledge of aspects such as its construction, operation and maintenance over a period of three and a half years. The first 18 months will be devoted to the design and construction and the following two years to its operation.
When completed, DemoSATH will be equipped with a 2MW turbine, will have a beam of 30 metres and length of 64 metres. It will be installed on the BIMEP testing platform, two nautical miles off the Basque coast, at a site with a depth of 85 metres.
The support received from institutions, such as the Basque Energy Agency, the Port of Bilbao and the Basque Government, has facilitated the development of this initiative from the outset, which is aligned with the Basque energy strategy.
The conference
The Basque Energy Cluster’s Wind Power Sector Forum, coordinated by Siemens Gamesa, was held on 17 December at the Port of Bilbao and was attended by 50 wind power companies.
It kicked off with several presentations related to the international expansion of the offshore wind power sector and the connection with the Basque value chain by the three driving entities, Siemens Gamesa, Iberdrola and RWE. The aim was to showcase the positive prospects of the market and internationalisation opportunities for Basque companies.
The Basque Energy Cluster also used the conference as an opportunity to go through the activities scheduled for the international WindEurope Annual Event Bilbao 2022 event to be held in April 2022.
During the conference’s second session, the focus of the recently announced Strategic Project for Economic Recovery and Transformation (PERTE) for Renewable Energies, Renewable Hydrogen and Storage was reviewed, in relation to it being a special opportunity for the Basque industry.
Siemens Gamesa also shared its proposals for the EU Next Generation fund and gave presentations on the progress of three R&D projects of special interest for the sector: WATEREYE (H2020), FLOAT&M (HAZITEK) and NEOMAT (ELKARTEK).
