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TotalEnergies launches floating offshore wind pilot project

TotalEnergies has announced the launch of a pilot project which uses a floating wind turbine to supply renewable power to Culzean offshore platform in the UK North Sea, thus pioneering an innovative decarbonisation scheme.

TotalEnergies wind turbine

The 3 MW floating wind turbine will be located 2 km west of the Culzean platform, 220 km off the eastern coast of Scotland. The turbine, which is expected to be fully operational by the end 2025, will supply around 20% of Culzean’s power requirement, thereby reducing its GHG emissions.

The turbine will be installed on a modular, light semi-submersible floater hull designed by Ocergy, allowing for fast assembly and optimised costs.

“This innovative pilot project aims to prove the concept of hybridisation of power generation on an offshore facility, by integrating the generation of renewable electricity – from a floating wind turbine – with the existing power generation from gas turbines. It also aims to qualify a promising design for the future of floating offshore wind”, said Marie-Noelle Semeria, Chief Technology Officer at TotalEnergies.

This pilot project was selected in Crown Estate Scotland’s Innovation and Targeted Oil & Gas (INTOG) leasing round, designed to encourage and support the use of offshore wind energy to directly supply offshore oil & gas platforms.

Image credit: TotalEnergies