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Floating wind’s next wave: from test beds to terawatts

Published in: Wind, Exclusive Articles, Industrial Insight

Floating wind’s next wave: from test beds to terawatts image

Floating offshore wind is moving beyond demonstration projects towards commercial deployment. As developers look to exploit deeper waters beyond the practical limits of fixed-bottom foundations, attention is shifting from whether floating turbines can operate successfully to how they can be built, installed, monitored and maintained at commercial scale.

While floating technology has demonstrated its technical potential through a series of successful pilot projects, wider deployment will depend on much more than the platforms themselves. Port infrastructure, grid capacity, efficient installation methods and a detailed understanding of how floating assets behave throughout their operational life will all influence the pace of growth.

According to the Global Wind Energy Council, global offshore wind capacity reached 92.5 GW by the end of 2025, with fixed-bottom offshore wind continuing to dominate the market. Floating wind, by comparison, remains at an early stage of commercial development.

The opportunity, however, is significant. Much of the world’s offshore wind resource lies in waters too deep for conventional fixed-bottom foundations, making floating technology one of the few practical options for unlocking these sites. Industry forecasts indicate that floating wind is expected to play an increasingly significant role in the offshore energy mix over the coming decades, provided costs continue to fall and supporting infrastructure develops alongside the technology.

What is becoming increasingly clear is that commercial success will rely not only on engineering innovation but also on the ability to collect and interpret high-quality operational data throughout the life of each asset.

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