Ireland-based floating wind platform company Gazelle Wind Power has partnered up with the Danish offshore support vessel owner Maersk Supply Service to support the development of a 2 MW floating wind pilot plant in the Canary Islands.
The project will see Gazelle's floating wind platform deployed at the Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands (PLOCAN).
Maersk Supply Service will provide the project's engineering, procurement, construction, and installation (EPCI), which is expected to be completed in Q2 2023.
"Through Maersk's expertise in providing EPCI services, as well as their global offshore project execution in the marine sector, this partnership is the next step in bringing Gazelle's patented, breakthrough hybrid floating wind platform and first-of-its-kind dynamic mooring system to the commercial market," Gazelle said.
According to the company, the Gazelle platform enables wind farms to be placed in deep waters and is much lighter than conventional platforms, and it is more compact and simpler to build, deploy, and maintain than other floating platforms, which translates to a dramatically lower Levelized cost of energy (LCOE).
"Maersk has an impressive track record and we could not have asked for a better organization to work with on this project," said Connie Hedegaard, Non Executive Director, Gazelle Wind Power. "This agreement with Maersk will help Gazelle accelerate the momentum of the development of its hybrid floating platform and open up the massive offshore wind market."
"Green transition and decarbonization initiatives are at the heart of our strategy,” said Yvan Leyni, Floating Wind Solutions Director at Maersk Supply Service, “We are committed to being at the forefront of the rapidly evolving floating wind industry and are delighted to support the Gazelle pilot project.”
"As more industries and world governments commit to decarbonization and net-zero emissions goals, enabling wind farms to be placed in deeper waters as far as 400 meters will be critical to generate the required energy for a growing worldwide population without fossil fuels," Gazelle said, also citing a report by DNV, according to which, the floating offshore wind market is projected to reach as much as 250 GW of output by 2050.