Shell is teaming up with German energy group Innogy and Stiesdal Offshore Technologies to pilot a new floating wind-power concept off the Norwegian coast, writes Beate Schjolberg.

Using Stiesdal’s TetraSpar design, the partners aim to cut the cost of floating wind power by using a lightweight modular steel base that can be assembled from smaller components.

The single-turbine pilot is due to be deployed next year at a water depth of 200 metres about 10 kilometres off Stavanger.

With a project cost of 18 million euros ($20.6 million), the price per megawatt will be about $5.7 for the TetraSpar pilot.

By comparison, Equinor’s floating Hywind Scotland wind farm has a construction cost of about $8 per megawatt.

“This initiative could help to lower the cost of offshore wind energy while providing more options for development locations, giving access to higher wind speeds and deeper water depths”, said Dorine Bosman, vice president of Shell Wind Development.

“Investing in innovative projects such as TetraSpar gives us early access to a new technology that could help us become a leading player in this field.”

The modular design “is expected to offer important competitive advantages over existing floating wind concepts, with the potential for leaner manufacturing, assembly and installation processes with lower material costs”, the partners said.

The pilot will consist of a 3.6 megawatt turbine from Siemens Gamesa on top of a TetraSpar structure that will be manufactured in Denmark.

The floating windmill will be moored to the seabed with three anchor lines and connected to the electrical grid.

Shell and Innogy will hold a 33% interest each of the joint venture set up for the demonstration project, while Stiesdal will hold the remaining 34%.

Stiesdal Offshore is set up by Henrik Stiesdal, a Dane with a background as chief technology officer at Siemens and former positions with wind-power turbine manufacturers Vestas and Bonus Energy.

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Shell joins team to pioneer wind concept off Stavanger