TLPWIND UK: "Driving the cost down of offshore wind in UK Waters"

The UK is currently leading the offshore wind (OW) market worldwide. There is a clear need for developing new technologies that will help cut our electricity bills whilst building a UK manufacturing industry. Iberdrola has been developing an innovative floating foundation concept, TLPWIND, during the last four years to help reduce the costs of electricity from OW. The floating foundation will be moored to the seabed using a tensioned cable system that will restrict its motion almost entirely. It’s main dimensions and steel weight have been carefully optimised and its fabrication costs minimised. The TLPWIND concept enables more efficient and reduced cost transportation and installation (“T&I”) with the wind turbine being assembled onshore, in a controlled environment. This heavily reduces offshore operations and the use of expensive heavy installation vessels, and thus T&I costs. This approach is intended to de-risk offshore wind projects, particularly in the view of Insurers and Financiers, and consequently increase investor confidence and commitment to OW projects. This project aims to adapt this semi-mature concept to UK site conditions (50-60m plus) and help reduce overall LCOE.