BW Ideol is pleased to announce that Floatgen’s operations, originally scheduled for 5 years, are able to be extended for an additional 5 years. This announcement comes on the heels of Floatgen surpassing the 30 GWh electricity threshold, underscoring the robustness of BW Ideol’s design.
Serving as France’s first and only operational floating wind turbine, Floatgen is a 2 MW demonstrator equipped with BW Ideol’s innovative Damping Pool® floater. With this significant electrical production milestone, Floatgen demonstrates that floating offshore wind is a practical and tangible solution for supporting electrical supply.
These valuable results are due to the hydrodynamic properties and excellent sea-keeping capabilities of the BW Ideol floater. These factors contribute to Floatgen’s remarkable availability, averaging 92.18% between January 2021 and January 2024. December 2023 stands out with a monthly production record of 922.026 MWh and a 61.96% capacity factor.
Initially designed for a 5-year lifespan, the observed results and the current condition of the floater and turbine allow for an additional 5-year extension without major maintenance. This extension serves as a clear demonstration of the resilience of BW Ideol’s design.
This extension will enable BW Ideol to continue research and development projects. For instance, in the environmental sector, the Velella project aims to optimize the economic and environmental performance of the BW Ideol floater, incorporating a life cycle assessment. Additionally, the Piaff & Co project aims to collect data to identify potentially impacted species and their interactions with the wind turbine.
“We are proud to announce the extension of our Floatgen pilot, which, after enduring several major storms over the past 5 years, including a record wave height of 12.9 meters during the Ciaran storm, is still perfectly capable of operating for an additional 5 years without the need for major maintenance work. Owning a full-scale unit like Floatgen is truly a must-have to validate and refine our technology and to conduct research projects. And this is exactly what we intend to do for the next few years,” commented Paul de la Guérivière, the CEO of BW Ideol.
