The Japanese utility Kansai Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) has signed an agreement with Saitec Offshore Technologies, joining the DemoSATH project as a strategic partner and co-investor. KEPCO’s involvement further strengthens the project’s foundation and accelerates its progress. Drawing on its extensive experience and expertise in the energy sector, KEPCO is set to provide invaluable insights that drive innovation and contribute to the project’s success.
The partnership framework remains flexible and open, allowing both companies to embrace new opportunities to drive innovation in the offshore wind industry. This forward-looking approach enables continuous exploration and advancement within the field, fostering a dynamic environment for collaboration and progress.
Saitec Offshore’s CCO Immanuel Capano declares: “Our partnership with KEPCO marks a significant milestone for the DemoSATH project. KEPCO’s vast experience and considerable resources amplify our capabilities, bringing a new level of expertise to our collective efforts. This partnership symbolizes not just an alliance, but a shared vision for the immense potential of floating wind energy.”
Kansai Electric Power, Executive Officer & Deputy Director of Renewable Energy Division, Kazumi Ogura comments: “As KEPCO, we are very pleased to be here today and to be a part of such a superb project-DemoSATH. We will make the most of our expertise to contribute to the success of the project, and we are confident that our participation in DemoSATH will allow us to take a giant step forward in realizing our goals and vision at floating offshore wind industry.”
With this partnership, KEPCO becomes the second world-class utility to join DemoSATH Project since RWE Offshore Wind is already part of the project since 2020. The collaboration between Saitec Offshore Technologies, RWE Offshore Wind and now KEPCO, creates a powerful alliance that will drive innovation, accelerate the commercialization of SATH floating wind solution, and contribute to the transition towards a more sustainable energy future. Together, these companies will leverage their collective resources, knowledge, and expertise to maximize the success of the DemoSATH project and advance the adoption of floating wind technology on a global scale.
DemoSATH project
The 2MW unit using SATH Technology will be deployed in a test field (BIMEP) located two miles off the Basque coast, in an area with a water depth of 85 meters, during the summer of 2023. This demonstration project aims to assess the technology’s potential for industrialization in offshore wind farms in deep waters. The DemoSATH project seeks to drive innovation, enhance the feasibility of floating offshore wind projects, and contribute to the transition towards a more sustainable energy future.
About SATH Technology
Floating wind energy offers tremendous opportunities as a renewable energy source, particularly in regions with deepwater conditions that were previously deemed unsuitable for conventional fixed-bottom offshore wind farms. Saitec’s disruptive SATH (Swinging Around Twin Hull) technology, renowned for its innovative design and remarkable cost-effectiveness, has already demonstrated its ability to overcome water depth limitations.
SATH technology is based on a twin hull made of modularly prefabricated and subsequently braced concrete elements. The floater can weathervane and self-align to the wind thanks to its single point of mooring arrangement.