ISQ present in the first floating wind farm Portuguese

Tempo de Leitura 3 minutos

"ISQ participates in the Windfloat project, the first offshore floating wind farm in Portugal that is being installed in Viana do Castelo. The services provided by ISQ consist of non-destructive testing, dimensional control, tightness and equipment testing. Based on this new technology, which allows wind exploration in a maritime environment to great depths replacing traditional fixed tower on the seabed, clean energy is obtained", advances the President of ISQ, Pedro Matias, highlighting the group's know-how in these areas. The Windfloat project is part of the Industrial Strategy for Ocean Renewable Energies, whose main objective is the creation of an industrial cluster exporting these clean energy technologies with the potential to generate €254 million in investment, €280 million in gross added value, €119 million in the trade balance and €1,500 new jobs. This new stage of the Windfloat wind project, the first park with several turbines, represents an investment of about 125 million euros, according to the municipality of Viana do Castelo. The Windfloat Atlantic project, to use wind energy, is coordinated by EDP through EDP Renováveis and integrates the technological partner Principle Power, Repsol, venture capital Portugal Ventures and metallurgical A. Silva Matos. This technology allows the exploration of wind potential at sea, at depths of more than 40 meters, based on the development of a triangular and semi-submersible floating platform, originated in the oil and gas extraction industry, where a wind turbine with several megawatts (MW) of production capacity is based. This project is optimized for the use of turbines up to 8 MW, and the possibility of installation is planned in the near future for future higher power turbines.   About WindFloat WindFloat is a floating base built of steel for offshore wind turbines with a simple and economical design. The innovative features of the wave damping system and turbine-induced motion allow wind turbines to be installed in previously inaccessible areas where the depth of seawater exceeds 40 meters and wind resources are potentially higher. In addition, the economic efficiency is maximized by reducing the need for heavy lifting operations on the high seas during the implementation and commissioning of the final assembly, given the possibility of moving the entire structure to the shipyard in case of need.   windFloatIn October 2011, Principle Power deployed a 2 MW windfloat (WF1) prototype in Portugal in real scale 5 km off the coast of Aguçadoura, Póvoa de Varzim. ISQ participated in the Demowfloat project to demonstrate the capacity of the prototype then installed, having served to realize the performance and challenges that are posed to such a structure, in the ocean sea conditions of Póvoa do Varzim. By the end of its use, the system produced more than 16 GWh of electricity, supplied by submarine cable, for the local network.  Several follow-up projects are under development for the installation of pre-commercial WindFloat units.  The next generation of WindFloat systems will make use of all the learning stemming from the wf1 prototype deployment and will integrate other innovations developed by the Principle Power project team during the WindFloat technology development process. These projects will be optimised both in terms of size and performance, both for the current 5- to 8 MW turbines, as well as for future 8 MW offshore wind turbines. The result will be significant cost savings for the customer, based on the level energy cost. In addition, Principle Power anticipates a reduction in O&M downtime, lower annual operating costs and a significant reduction in risk in the operation of a wind farm equipped with WindFloat-type platforms.  About ISQ: ISQ is a private, independent entity, based in Portugal and offering its clients a wide range of engineering, technical consulting, technical inspections, testing and testing services and also develops R&DT and Innovation activities. These activities are supported through a network of Group Companies, a set of Accredited Laboratories and using multidisciplinary teams. These services are directed to the Oil & Gas, Energy, Automotive, Aerospace, Process Industries, Health, Transport, Mobility, among others.  

ABOUT ISQ

ISQ is a private, independent entity that delivers value through integrated and innovative engineering, inspection, testing, testing and training services solutions.

Present in 14 countries and with 7 offices in Portugal, ISQ supports its customers in reducing risk, improving operational performance and increasing competitiveness. multidisciplinary teams that help clients to align their business objectives with applicable regulations and standards and in meeting their goals in the areas of quality, safety, asset management and environmental and social responsibility.

Industry, Technology and Innovation are the premises that guide the work developed by ISQ, which already has more than 500 international Innovation projects and more than 17,000 professional training courses.

ISQ supports industry development and innovation on a global scale, with service solutions for the Oil & Gas, Energy, Aeronautics and Aerospace, Process Industry, Health, Mobility and Smart Cities, Transport and Infrastructure and Agribusiness sectors.

ISQ PRESS AND COMMUNICATION OFFICE

Carla Guedes      | cmguedes@isq.pt          | +351 919 211 647