NextFloat+ Project to Revolutionize Offshore Wind Farms with Innovative Design

The NextFloat+ Project, backed by a €13.4 million grant from the European Commission, aims to revolutionize offshore wind farms with faster and cheaper installations. Led by X1 Wind, the project features the innovative X90 prototype, promising significant advancements in renewable energy.

Key Points

• NextFloat+ Project aims to revolutionize offshore wind farms with faster, cheaper installation and operations.
• Received €13.4 million grant from the European Commission.
• Led by X1 Wind, with Technip Energies and NextFloat Plus SAS as partners.
• Features the X90 prototype, a 6-MW wind station with a triangular floating platform.
• Utilizes Single Point Mooring (SPM) and Tension Leg Platform (TLP) system.
• Reduces seabed footprint and allows for modular, scalable design.
• Plans for a new commercial platform of over 20 MW are underway.
• Significant funding secured from multiple sources, including the European Commission and French Government.

A revolutionary offshore wind farm system called the NextFloat+ Project is set to be tested in the Mediterranean, aiming to offer faster and more cost-effective installation and operations. This innovative project has received a substantial €13.4 million (US$14.4 million) grant from the European Commission.

The concept of offshore wind farms leverages the consistent sea breezes and the reliable wind patterns over open water, avoiding the complications of land-based installations. However, the significant engineering challenges of setting up turbines at sea often overshadow these benefits. The turbines must be incredibly robust, and the heavy mooring systems required to keep them in place are costly and complex to install.

NextFloat+ is led by the Barcelona-based company X1 Wind, in partnership with Technip Energies and NextFloat Plus SAS. The consortium’s objective is to develop a prototype 6-MW wind station named X90. This innovative system features a triangular floating platform with a single turbine, which is assembled onshore and then towed to the installation site.

The X90 employs Single Point Mooring (SPM) and a Tension Leg Platform (TLP) system, eliminating the need for specialized heavy equipment during installation. The triangular structure floats on the surface, anchored by three cables connected to a mooring on the seabed at depths exceeding 1,600 ft (500 m). These cables are tensioned to keep the platform stable. The SPM allows the platform to passively turn into the wind, enhancing efficiency and stability.

Unlike conventional wind turbines that face into the wind and rotate atop a mast, the X90 turbine is fixed on the platform, which does all the turning. The turbine pivots like a weathervane, facing away from the wind, allowing the air to push the blades from behind. This design eliminates the risk of the blades striking the mast, enabling a simpler and lighter construction that is both cheaper and easier to maintain.

This innovative setup reduces the seabed footprint of the installation and lends itself to scalability due to its modular design. Plans for a new commercial platform of over 20 MW are already in progress.

“We’re thrilled to receive support from the Innovation Fund,” said Alex Raventos, CEO and co-founder of X1 Wind. “The grant represents a cornerstone in the fundraising for the NextFloat+ Project, adding to finance already secured through the European Commission under the Horizon Europe program, finance secured through the French Government as part of the France 2030 plan operated by ADEME, plus private funding from partners and shareholders. Crucially, it will provide an opportunity to drive substantial improvements in the competitiveness of floating wind as we prepare for long-term mass deployment in locations around the world.”