Wind Hybrid Evolution for Low-Carbon Solutions

• Research unit: SERI
• Project number: 22.00618

Abstract (English)

The overall objective of the WHEEL project is to fully demonstrate and bring to a precommercial Technology Readiness Level (TRL) a revolutionary floating wind technology excellently suited for deep water locations, effective industrialization strategies, breakthrough cost reduction and minimized carbon footprint. This shall enable a radical step forward for LCoE reduction, whilst also addressing scalability, harbour infrastructure suitability and availability, and the sustainability & circularity of floating offshore wind. Development and demonstration needed to reach the pursued TRL will be achieved through the design, installation, certification and testing of a fully operative 6MW Pilot unit, which will showcase and demonstrate the breakthrough advantages that the WHEEL technology can deliver to the floating wind industry. It will be installed in a deep-water location in the PLOCAN testing area (Canary Islands, Spain), where it shall be thoroughly monitored along a period sufficient to underpin the commercialization and bankability of the technology. The WHEEL project pulls together a Consortium of renowned European companies and research institutions with extensive experience and a spearhead position in the renewables and marine industry. This multidisciplinary team joins forces to complete the full demonstration of such a disruptive technology by integrating complementary expertise fields and capabilities which effectively cover all key areas of floating wind systems in pursuit of the ambitious objectives of the project.