China Deploys First 16MW Floating Offshore Wind Tension-Leg Platform
China continues its developments, placing it at the forefront of the offshore wind energy sector. In the latest development, officials reported deploying the largest tension-leg floating offshore wind platform designed to hold a 16 MW turbine.
The platform was assembled at the Gaolan Port in Zhuhai, south China, and departed on June 28 for its deployment in the South China Sea. The structure stands more than 307 meters (1,007 feet) and weighs almost 8,000 tonnes. It is the largest of its kind, designed to support a single turbine. Once it is operational, it will generate around 54 million kWh annually.
Officials said the deployment is part of China’s accelerated efforts to scale up and commercialize deep-sea floating offshore wind technology. The industry has already conducted several demonstrations, and it is ready to move forward with commercial deployments.
The deployment is also unique as the single turbine will be positioned near the Lufeng oilfield cluster. It is located approximately 250 km (155 miles) southeast of Hong Kong in the South China Sea. It is in an area with a water depth of 330 meters (1,082 feet), and it is prone to tropical cyclones.
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The turbine will be providing power to the power grid for the oil field through subsea cables attached to the grid. Norway in 2022 launched a similar application on a smaller scale with an 11-turbine wind farm, Hywind Tampen, which uses 8.6 MW turbines supplying electricity to Equinor’s oil and gas fields Snorre and Gullfaks in the Norwegian North Sea. This will be China’s first installation where it is integrating renewable energy into oil and gas operations.
Chinese officials highlighted that they continue to lead the industry, having, as of May, surpassed a total installed wind power generation capacity of 660 million kilowatts. It is up more than 17 percent year-over-year. The offshore component has reached 47 GW, giving China 78 percent of the newly added offshore wind generation capacity. It currently has more than half the global market in offshore wind power, and plans call for adding as much as 63 GW of additional offshore power generation capacity.