Technip Energies, X1 Wind and a consortium of 10 leading international entities have been selected by the European Commission to deliver the NextFloat project, an ambitious program accelerating industrial-scale floating wind.
NextFloat project main objectives are to demonstrate a competitive, sustainable and integrated floating offshore wind solution optimized for deep waters and to accelerate the industrial-scale deployment of floating offshore wind.
The integrated solution relies on X1 Wind innovative and disruptive floating offshore wind technology, allowing for a lighter floater design and a reduced steel requirement, as well as a more efficient and compact mooring system, ultimately minimizing the impact on seabed.
The project includes the deployment of a full scale 6MW prototype at Mistral test site in the French Mediterranean Sea in order to demonstrate the concept in operational condition. It is enabled by the participation of the Open-C foundation which structures and operates all the test sites for marine renewable energies and offshore wind power in France.
The integrated system design, its manufacturing, assembly and installation procedures will thus be tested at a scale that is relevant for the upcoming commercial offshore wind farms, that will require industrialized solutions for applications in excess of 15MW and beyond.
Laure Mandrou, SVP Carbon-Free Energy solutions of Technip Energies, commented: “We are glad to have been selected for the NextFloat project, as part of the Horizon Europe program. By leveraging our existing collaboration with X1 Wind, we are preparing the future of the floating offshore wind market and accelerating the development of disruptive floating offshore wind solutions at industrial scale.”
Alex Raventos, CEO and co-founder of X1 Wind, said: “We are really pleased to have the opportunity to deliver our unique solution through the NextFloat. This ambitious project aims to bring substantial improvements in the competitiveness of floating wind and prepare the long-term mass deployment of this industry, so that we can actively contribute to accelerate the energy transition, which together with energy security is becoming more and more critical in Europe and worldwide”.
Additionally to Technip Energies and X1 Wind, the consortium also counts with the participation of Naturgy, 2B-Energy, Hellenic Cables, Ocean Ecostructures, Schwartz Hautmont, Tersan Shipyard, Ecole Centrale de Nantes, Ocas, Hydro and the Technical University of Denmark. The grant agreement is currently under negotiations with the European Commission and the project is expected to start in the 4th quarter of 2022.
About Technip Energies
Technip Energies is a leading Engineering & Technology company for the energy transition, with leadership positions in Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), hydrogen and ethylene as well as growing market positions in blue and green hydrogen, sustainable chemistry and CO2 management. The company benefits from its robust project delivery model supported by extensive technology, products and services offering.
Operating in 34 countries, our 15,000 people are fully committed to bringing our client’s innovative projects to life, breaking boundaries to accelerate the energy transition for a better tomorrow.
Technip Energies is listed on Euronext Paris with American depositary receipts (“ADRs”) traded over-the-counter in the United States.
For further information: www.technipenergies.com.
About X1 Wind
X1 Wind is a disruptive floating wind technology developer. Based in Barcelona, Spain, the firm’s mission is to provide highly scalable solutions which deliver clean, affordable energy while reducing carbon emissions across the globe. The company’s unique floating wind concept was initially developed by Carlos Casanovas in 2012 while studying at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), before progressing the patented technology for almost a decade. In recent years, X1 Wind has rapidly progressed its technology, having successfully executed several tank testing campaigns and completed the design, assembly and load-out of a full-featured part-scale demonstrator in the Canary Islands. It has recently been awarded the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator program to develop and scale up its ground-breaking innovations and to fast-track commercial operations. The company has steadily been building a world-class team of experts in the offshore wind industry and related sectors.
