MTR 10 0MTR 10 0Editor’s ChoiceEditor’s ChoiceSubsea’s Future is Blowin’ in the WindOffshore wind is hot, with the potential to be a signi? cant area of growth for the global maritime, subsea and energy markets for years to come. Eric Haun does a deep dive on eight companies leading the way.GE Renewable Energy Ideol Offshore, STX Europe Offshore EnergyAs offshore wind projects across the globe look to incorpo- In several locations across the globe, commercial wind farms rate the latest innovations in wind turbine technology to maxi- are being designed for waters that simply cannot support the mize ef? ciency and drive down costs, many manufacturers are ? xed structures typically used. For these projects a new gen-producing larger turbines on advanced foundation designs for eration of ? oating wind turbines is in development. Offshore even greater water depths. These larger turbines, which are substations that collect and export power generated by tur-able to capture more energy and are more ef? cient, allow for bines through underwater cables will also need to be specially fewer installations and lower maintenance costs. engineered to ? oat. Ideol and STX Europe Offshore Energy In March 2018, GE Renewable Energy announced it will in- say they are developing a novel ? oating substation that will be vest more than $400 million over the next three to ? ve years compatible with both traditional bottom-? xed and new ? oat-to develop and deploy the Haliade-X 12 MW, set to take over ing offshore wind farms. Ideol develops ? oating foundation as the world’s largest and most powerful offshore wind tur- technologies for offshore wind farms, and STX has supplied bine. The installation will feature a 12 MW capacity, 220-me- substations to the bottom-? xed offshore wind industry. To-ter rotor, a 107-meter blade. Towering 260 meters over the gether the partners seek to create, build and install a univer-sea, Haliade-X will produce 45 percent more energy than any sal and modular ? oating substation based on Ideol’s patented other offshore wind turbine presently available and will gener- shallow-draft damping pool concept for ? oating turbines.The ate up to 67 GWh annually, GE said. concept involves a ring-shaped ? oating foundation structure Higher power producing turbines offer ef? ciencies across an with a central opening that leverages hydrodynamic properties entire project by reducing risk and costs for installation (fewer to stabilize the foundation and turbine, or in this case substa-turbines installed), operation, maintenance and repair for de- tion. The sloshing of the water contained within the opening velopers, which makes offshore wind projects more pro? table effectively counteracts the movement of the ? oater cause by and ultimately lowers cost of electricity for consumers. The wave swell. Ideol and STX say the ? oating substation is being Haliade-X is designed to offer greater power generation ef- designed to maximize both standardization for cost reduction ? ciency, with a 63 percent gross capacity factor ? ve to seven and modularization for greater project ? exibility. The devel-points above the current industry benchmark, according to opers aim to have a market ready solution in time for France’s GE. Therefore, it will produce more energy per MW installed. upcoming ? oating commercial tenders.July/August 2018MTR62 MTR #6 (50-65).indd 62 MTR #6 (50-65).indd 62 8/13/2018 9:30:12 AM8/13/2018 9:30:12 AM