Japan’s Modec and compatriots Toyo Construction and Furukawa Electric have launched a research and development (R&D) programme aimed at reducing the capital and operating cost of floating wind turbines.

The initiative aims to develop a concept around a steel tension-leg platform – which have stiff steel ‘tendons’ attached to the seabed instead of catenary mooring lines used by conventional semisubersibles – that will be low-cost and have less of a physical impact on fishing zones and shipping lanes.

The stability afforded by TLP technology, in the view of the Japanese companies, will make it possible to develop next-generation platforms and mooring systems with the necessary structural reliability for a large capacity wind turbine of more than 10MW.

“Offshore wind turbines, which are being widely introduced mainly in Europe toward a decarbonised society, will be moving from coastal installations to more windy offshore areas in order to obtain higher energy efficiency,” said Modec, in a statement.

“So, in addition to the fixed bed type, floating wind turbines are getting attention as well.”

The Modec-led R&R also plans to focus on developing a high-specification submarine power transmission line system.

Though, unlike semisubs and spar-buoy concepts, the TLP has yet be used for a full-scale floating wind unit, Modec believes that as the mooring lines ‘footprint’ is significantly smaller than a catenary spread, the design will run into less opposition from in countries, such as Japan, where the perceived impact on fisheries and ship operations has been a sticking point in the uptake of floating wind power.

The R&D, which will run to March 2022 under the wing of the Japanese government’s New Energy & Industrial Technology Development Organization, will see Modec responsible for the TLP, including the mooring system, while Toyo is tasked with offshore construction and Furukawa will deliver the subsea power transmission system.

Modec on Friday revealed that the trio’s R&D proposal had been officially adopted by Japan’s New Energy & Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).

This is Modec's second foray into the floating wind space. It built a 500kW hybrid wind/tidal power device, dubbed Skwid, in 2014, but the project ended with the prototype sank off the coast of the island of Kyushu.

Wind

Japan's Modec heads back into floating wind with compatriot tie-up