Wind Catching Systems launches floating offshore wind technology
Oslo, 7 June 2021
Wind Catching Systems will, in co-operation with Aibel AS as the main contractor, commercialize the groundbreaking Wind Catching technology for floating offshore wind farms. The technology increases efficiency, cuts acreage use by 80% and reduces production costs, which will enable floating offshore wind to produce electricity at bottom fixed prices. Ferd AS and North Energy ASA are among the main owners of the company and see significant growth and export opportunities for the technology.
“Wind Catching will make floating offshore wind competitive as soon as in 2022-2023, which is at least ten years earlier than conventional floating offshore wind farms. In co-operation with our main contractor Aibel, we will commercialize this groundbreaking technology that dramatically increases the efficiency of floating wind farms and cuts acreage use by 80%. Our goal is to enable offshore wind operators and developers to produce electricity at a cost that competes with other energy sources, without subsidies. Simply put, we will deliver floating offshore wind at the costs of bottom-fixed technology solutions, which provides great opportunities on a global basis for the Norwegian supplier industry.”
– Ole Heggheim, CEO of Wind Catching Systems.
Wind Catching Systems, in collaboration with Aibel and the Institute for Energy Technology, IFE, is developing a floating multi-turbine technology consisting of several 1 MW turbines. The technology will cut acreage use by more than 80% and increase efficiency significantly in comparison to conventional floating offshore wind farms. The company's main owners are Ferd and North Energy. Wind Catching Systems is also supported by Innovation Norway.
“The goal is to complete the technical testing and verification during 2021 and to offer commercial development solutions in 2022. Wind Catching has significant competitive benefits compared to conventional floating offshore wind technologies and we see great opportunities for the Norwegian supplier and export industry.”
– Erik Bjørstad, Investment Director at Ferd
Wind Catching Systems’ technology will have a design life of 50 years, will cost substantially less to maintain than today's floating offshore wind solutions and solve sustainability issues related to the recycling and reuse of turbine blades, marine resources and CO2 emissions from installation and maintenance. One Wind Catching unit is five times as efficient as a conventional offshore wind turbine and can produce energy for 80,000 households.
“Wind Catching will challenge today’s established technology suppliers with its groundbreaking and patented design. With our technology, offshore wind operators and developers will achieve the productions costs that they hoped to reach in 2030-2035 in a shorter timeframe. Should the technology verification confirm what we aim for, there are significant opportunities for Wind Catching Systems’ technology in major development projects in the North Sea, off the U.S. West coast and in Asia in the coming decades.”
– Rachid Bendriss, Investment Director at North Energy
For further information, please contact:
Ole Heggheim, CEO, +47 905 35 024
Ronny Karlsen, CFO, +47 954 24 398