DemoSATH Project – Demonstrating the Technical Feasibility of a Disruptive Concrete Floating Offshore Wind Solution

Abstract – Saitec Offshore Technologies has developed the Swing Around Twin Hull (SATH) floating wind turbine solution. SATH is a floating platform made fully of pre-stressed concrete consisting of two cylindrical horizontal hulls with conical ends linked to each other by bar frames. The platform is moored by a Single Point Mooring (SPM) that allows SATH to rotate like a weathervane, helping the yaw control system to maintain the rotor plane facing the wind. The first full scale prototype of a floating wind turbine (2.0MW) using SATH technology is planned to be installed in Biscay Marine Energy Platform (BIMEP), a test center for offshore demonstration project off the coast of the Basque Country. The project started in early 2016 and it comprises of the engineering, construction, assembly and installation phases and 2 years of operation, monitoring and energy production. The main goal of this first demonstration project is to technically prove the feasibility of the solution and its ability to withstand the harsh Atlantic environment without affecting the energy production. For this purpose, a preliminary engineering design including an intensive test campaign is being performed during the first phase of the project. This study aims to analyze and present solutions to the most demanding challenges for the design of floating platforms for wind energy harnessing. To accomplish this goal, SATH specific case study is used.