ATLANTIC: Advancing technological leap in the area of floating offshore wind turbines needed for a transition to innovative clusters of green energy

At a glance

• Floating offshore wind turbines (FOWTs) offer enormous potential for climate-friendly energy production. To date, however, the majority of projects have been pilot projects. There is still no holistic concept available for a FOWT that also takes regional logistics and supply chains into consideration.
• In the Horizon Europe ATLANTIC project, the partners aim to close this gap by developing a resource-efficient design for a FOWT, a concept for a multi-MW wind farm, and a roadmap for the establishment of a European supply chain.
• Among other tasks, Fraunhofer IWES is responsible for the optimization of the wind turbine design to ensure optimal integration between the turbine and its floating support structure.

The challenge

Offshore wind energy is set to become one of the key pillars of our energy generation system in the future. At present, the focus is still on fixed-bottom wind farms located in water depths of up to 60 meters, as, although advances in technology and initial prototypes represent key milestones, FOWTs have yet to achieve a market breakthrough. Instead, countries like Italy, France, and Norway are postponing their tenders for FOWTs. In addition, turbines in operation need to be transported over large distances if technical faults develop, as there is no corresponding local infrastructure.

Taken together, these issues have led the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) to revise its forecast for FOWT capacity in 2030 downward by 22 percent, while Det Norske Veritas (DNV) has revised its projected levelized cost of energy (LCoE) upward. At the same time, the use of FOWTs remains decisive for the development of deep-water sites and the achievement of international climate protection goals.

The solution

This is where the international Horizon Europe ATLANTIC project comes into play. The project partners are developing a new holistic concept for a FOWT that also takes regional logistics and supply chains into consideration: the researchers are designing and demonstrating a floating 5-MW wind turbine with a light, pyramidal design. The aim is to set up a test system in Le Croisic, France, and operate it for two years. The results collected will then be utilized for the development of a concept for a multi-MW wind farm.

In this way, the ATLANTIC project will create a pathway for the establishment of a European supply chain permitting industrial production of floating offshore wind farms and ensuring their local maintenance. The researchers will develop a roadmap for the introduction of the concept to the market as a commercial product in 2030, including certification, bankability, insurability, and potential funding sources.

Among other tasks, Fraunhofer IWES is involved in the optimization of the wind turbine. Contrary to current industry practice, the turbine and floating support structure will be designed as an optimally integrated system, allowing resource-efficient design potential to be exploited and thereby reducing FOWT costs.

The added value

ATLANTIC is expected to help the FOWT achieve a breakthrough by significantly reducing the LCoE and providing European industry with a clear roadmap for the expansion of floating wind energy. In doing so, ATLANTIC will not only contribute to climate-friendly energy production but also strengthen the resilience of European industry.