Principle Power expands WindFloat portfolio

Global floating offshore wind pioneer Principle Power has added two centre column platforms to its semisubmersible product portfolio.

They are the WindFloat TC (tubular centre column) and WindFloat FC (flat-panel centre column).

The new designs are natural evolutions of the existing WindFloat technologies that combines features to support a wind turbine on a column in the centre of the platform, says California headquartered Principle Power.

Designed to complement existing perimeter column designs – WindFloat T and WindFloat F – the new solutions share the same fourth generation design heritage and benefits such as a Smart Hull Trim system to maximise annual energy production and reduce loads; fatigue-resilient architecture optimised for large wind turbines; compact footprint and shallow wind turbine integration draft for maximum compatibility with infrastructure; and modular “block” subcomponent philosophy for high flexibility and compatibility with existing supply chains, it says.

Wind turbines are growing larger, and manufacturers are increasingly focused on standardisation of their products for floating wind, says Principle Power.

“The outlook for floating wind is strong and as the market enters a ‘commercial’ era, wind turbine suppliers are now thinking about how to position their products for maximum standardisation across the floating pipeline,” says Principle Power chief executive Julian Arrillaga Costa.

“With this in mind, we’ve developed WindFloat centre column designs that are optimised for 15MW plus turbines with stiffer towers.

“By expanding the WindFloat portfolio with these designs, we’re demonstrating how we can apply our proven expertise in floating wind with our known and de-risked technical features to achieve centre column geometries that are bankable and immediately ready for commercial scale projects.”

Principle Power has a13-year operational track record.