Japan’s TEPCO Renewable Power (TEPCO RP) has joined the TetraSpar full-scale demonstration project, alongside Shell, RWE, and Stiesdal Offshore Technologies.
With the entry of TEPCO RP, Shell will own 46.2%, TEPCO RP 30%, RWE 23.1% and Stiesdal Offshore Technologies 0.7% partnership in project.
The project has completed the onshore assembly of an advanced factory-made floating offshore wind foundation, in the port of Grenaa, Denmark.
The tubular steel components of the TetraSpar foundation were manufactured at the facilities of the Danish wind turbine tower manufacturer Welcon.
TEPCO RP president Seiichi Fubasami said: “We are very happy to be able to partici-pate in this groundbreaking project. The TetraSpar technology can also be utilized in Japan’s natural conditions and a more efficient supply chain can be established closer to the project sites.
“We believe that it is a promising technology that can play an important part in efforts to promote the transition to renewable energies as primary energy sources. Our corporate phi-losophy is ‘Harnessing the Natural Resources to Energy, and further to Society’, and we in-tend to promote the use of renewable energies within Japan and overseas.”
TetraSpar project will feature offshore wind turbine from SGRE
Once the foundation is launched in 2021, the wind turbine will be mounted at the quayside leveraging a land-based crane.
A combined structure will be towed to the test site in the North Sea, around 10km from shore in water depths of 200m, moored to the seabed with three anchor lines and connected to the electrical grid.
The demonstration project will feature a 3.6MW direct drive offshore wind turbine from Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, and the commissioning is planned for summer 2021.
Through the collaboration on the demonstration project, the four partnering companies are expected to gain knowledge in construction, installation, and operation.
The detailed data obtained from the project could be used in further refining the TetraSpar technology.
