THE CHALLENGE

As the offshore wind power sector evolves, it faces a series of challenges relating to structural design, the creation of new products, the optimisation of existing products and the use of operating information to help reduce costs, opening up a great potential market undergoing immense development. This applies to turbines and power evacuation infrastructures, one of the pivotal elements being the substation.

SIX KEY TRENDS

  • Growing increase of turbine power and bigger wind farms at greater depths.

  • Developing floating solutions for substations at great depths. Flexible, reliable and modular, they can be adapted to a range of powers and demands.

  • Innovative materials and antidegradation systems.

  • Digitalised substations for optimised operation.

  • Improved O&M activities for offshore substations.

  • Costs reduction: CAPEX and OPEX.

The WIND2GRID consortium will develop new solutions to address applied research to these 6 trends. There is no commercial floating substation on the market today.

New market opportunity with the development of floating and fixed wind farms at ever greater depths + shortage of developers with recognised experience = window of opportunities for businesses in the wind and maritime sectors.

The Basque wind and maritime sectors encompass more than 200 businesses with years of experience in developing offshore wind technology, all of whom may benefit from this new energy sector trend.