- SATH-Technology promises cost benefits in future floating offshore market
- DemoSATH, a concrete platform hosting a 2 MW turbine, is scheduled for commissioning in autumn 2021
Essen/Bilbao, 24 February 2020
RWE Renewables and Saitec Offshore Technologies have joined forces to test new ways to affordably install and operate offshore wind farms in deep waters. In a joint pilot project called “DemoSATH”, the RWE subsidiary specialising in renewable energy and the Spanish engineering company Saitec Offshore Technologies will start testing a floating platform for wind turbines off the Basque Coast in 2021.
SATH technology is based on a twin hull made of modularly prefabricated and subsequently braced concrete elements. The float can align itself around a single point of mooring according to the wind and wave direction. The objective of the project is to collect data and gain real-life knowledge from the construction, operation and maintenance of the unit. The pilot project will last 3.5 years: 18 months for the planning and construction of the plant, followed by a two-year operating phase.
RWE Renewables CEO Anja-Isabel Dotzenrath declares: “We see great potential for floating wind farms worldwide. Especially in countries with deeper coastal waters, this opens up attractive opportunities. With DemoSATH, we are gaining experience with an innovative concrete-based platform technology that will help us to position ourselves in this growth market.”
