Norwegian company unveils wind sail floating solution

By: Tom Russell

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07/06/2021 Wind Catching Systems AS

Wind Catching Systems, in collaboration with Aibel and the Department of Energy Technology, has announced plans commercialise the Wind Catching technology for floating offshore wind farms in 2022. Ferd and North Energy are among the owners of the Wind Catching Systems.

Wind Catching Systems is developing floating multiturbine parks consisting of a large number of 1 MW turbines assembled in a large sail. The solution aims to cuts land use by more than 80% and increases efficiency, compared to conventional floating offshore wind farms.

The project partners claim one Wind Catching sail is five times as efficient as a conventional offshore wind turbine and can produce energy for 80,000 households.

"Wind Catching will make floating offshore wind competitive already from 2022-2023, which is at least ten years before conventional offshore wind farms. In collaboration with the main supplier Aibel, we will commercialize the groundbreaking technology that dramatically increases the efficiency of wind farms and cuts land use by 80%. Our goal is for customers to be able to produce electricity that competes with other energy sources without subsidies. Simply put, we will deliver floating offshore wind with the costs of bottom-fixed solutions, which provides great opportunities on a global basis for the Norwegian supplier industry," said Ole Heggheim, CEO of Wind Catching Systems.

"The goal is to complete the technical verification during 2021 and to offer commercial development solutions in 2022. Wind Catching will have a significant competitive advantage over the conventional floating offshore wind technologies and we see great opportunities for the Norwegian supplier and export industry," commented Erik Bjørstad, Investment Director at Ferd.

"Wind Catching will challenge today's conventional technology solutions with the groundbreaking and patented design. Here, the operators and developers can get the production costs they hope to reach in 2030-2035 in a short time. Given that the technology verification confirms what we believe, there are significant opportunities for Wind Catching on the major development projects in the North Sea, on the west coast of the USA and in Asia in the coming decades", said Rachid Bendriss, Investment Director at North Energy.

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4C Offshore | Tom Russell
Tom Russell

01502 307037 Tom.Russell@4coffshore.net
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