Renewable energy business Ocean Winds has extended its long-term contract with Principal Power for the operation and maintenance of the 25MW WindFloat Atlantic Project.
Ocean Winds – a 50:50 joint venture between EDP Renewables and ENGIE – says the extension affirms the operational success of what is said to be the world’s first semi-submersible floating wind farm.
Since the project’s first WindFloat unit was installed in 2019, Principle Power has provided operations and maintenance services to Ocean Winds, which oversees the asset management of WindFloat Atlantic on behalf of the project consortium.
These services include inspections, maintenance and repair (IMR) activities, with integrated engineering support, to ensure maximum uptime and availability. Additionally, Principle Power has been providing remote monitoring and data analytics services to measure and enhance project performance.
According to Ocean Winds, as a result of close collaboration with the project’s stakeholders, the wind farm has exceeded initial power expectations, in its first five years of operations. The project has also proven highly resilient in extreme weather conditions, withstanding 20-meter waves and wind gusts of 139 km/h without any structural damage.
Ocean Winds has also coordinated health and safety for all platform operations with Principle Power, resulting in zero lost time accidents.
Daniel Ribeiro, asset senior lead associate at Ocean Winds, said: “At Ocean Winds, we are pleased to continue collaborating and extend our long-term contract with our partner Principle Power.
“Together with the WindFloat Atlantic team, Principle Power helps us deliver a high-quality operational service that prioritises safety and allows us to consistently exceed the production expectations of this pioneering project each year, demonstrating the readiness of floating technology for the commercial-scale phase.”
Clara de Moura Santos, vice president of operation and mMaintenance at Principle Power, said: “This extended contract further validates the maturity of our WindFloat technology and Principle Power’s expertise designing and operating floating foundations.
“The operational success demonstrated at WindFloat Atlantic highlights our proactive approach to operational readiness – anticipating and addressing critical needs earlier in the design process, and planning for operation activities, tools, equipment, and training. We also refine processes for preventative and corrective maintenance, which has a high degree of impact on the project’s efficiency, and positively affects the project’s financial performance across the lifecycle.”
The WindFloat Atlantic project also serves as a research platform for several projects that are advancing the state-of-the-art IMR operations. These projects include the EU-Funded Atlantis project, which studies the application of robotic solutions for offshore applications to reduce the levelised cost of energy (LCoE), and the DOE ARPA-E funded DigiFloat project.
Image credit: Principle Power and Ocean Winds
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