The development of floating wind platforms is hindered by the numerous designs, with over 150 concepts currently being considered. Karmsund Port Authority’s Tommy Sandtorv said that designing a perfect port for floating wind requires cooperation between the industry and port owners, as the infrastructure is expensive and needs to be built to serve the market. Sandtorv emphasized the need for governments and developers to support market development and facilitate deployment.
Speakers at the Offshore Energy Exhibition & Conference (OEEC) discussed the challenges in the supply chain, including the need for a good mix of innovation and demonstration projects to progress manufacturing economies of scale. Axelle Viré from Delft University of Technology emphasized the need to accelerate innovations to drive down costs. James Young from JDR Cable Systems highlighted the importance of mid- to large-scale projects to bring costs down.
Richard den Hollander from Seaway7 discussed the selection of floating wind platform designs, noting that the SPAR-type is a popular choice in shallow waters. The industry needs to move faster to full-scale testing and demonstration to speed up technology and project rollout.