WCS insights November 2023

Floating wind operations and maintenance – this is how we do it!

Ole Heggheim, CEO, Wind Catching Systems

Floating wind is hanging by a thread.

The cost and associated months of downtime from a tow to shore operation for major repairs hurts the economics of floating wind projects. The renewables growth required by governments scrambling to meet decarbonization targets is held back by high costs and operational models that assume that conventional onshore wind turbines can easily be operated maintained on a floating structure. Overcoming this challenge is key to making floating offshore wind a success.

Wind Catching Systems is a Norwegian business with a wholly different and efficient approach to installation, operations and maintenance of floating offshore wind. Our mission is to establish floating offshore wind as a sustainable and competitive energy source by offering the most efficient technology in the market.

Our multi-rotor technology allows for each turbine to be small and light enough to be handled without the use of major cranes or specialized vessels. Moreover, with a multi-rotor set up, the failure of one turbine only represents a small fraction of the total system’s production. The result is higher uptime for the floating wind farm.

We are commercializing a disruptive elevator-based turbine installation and handling system. Instead of an expensive vessel towing a floating unit back to a port where it can be repaired, we reduce costs and increase renewable power generation by doing onboard repair and replacement. Thus, we can use a standard service vessel to access our floating units.

Without being dependent on large, specialized vessels and external support structures for our operations and maintenance, the Windcatcher will substantially lower the operations cost for floating offshore wind.

Floating wind is still in its infancy. New solutions and technology will have to be adapted if floating wind is to be able to affordably support the renewable energy transition. At Wind Catching Systems our ambition is to make affordable and reliable power from floating offshore wind a reality.