GEAR | Japanese firms launch R&D project to reduce cost of floating offshore wind turbines
JAPAN WEEK
A consortium formed by Japanese companies MODEC, Toyo Construction, and Furukawa Electric have entered into an agreement with New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) to undertake research and devlopment aimed at reducing the overall costs associated with floating offshore wind turbines.
The consortium is proposing the use of a tension leg platform (TLP) design instead of the catenary mooring approach currently being demonstrated in Japan and overseas.
The three firms will develop a low-cost next-generation platform and mooring system with the structural reliability necessary for a floater to be mounted with a large capacity wind turbine of over 10 MW.
In addition, comparing with catenary mooring, the area occupied by mooring lines in the sea can be significantly reduced. This means the negative impact on fisheries and ship operations can be minimised.
The R&D will be carried out for two years until March 2022.
MODEC will develop the TLP and the mooring system, Toyo Construction will work on the mooring foundation design and offshore construction, and Furukawa Electric will focus on the subsea power transmission system.
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