Gazelle Wind Power has rolled out the newest generation of modular floating offshore wind platforms, through an enhanced design that provides a lightweight, cost-effective design that minimizes the impact on fragile marine environments while using existing port infrastructure.
As a third-generation technology, the platform delivers enhanced mooring innovation that enables serial production, the company says. The platform makes first-generation technology – which was primarily designed to float and survive harsh ocean conditions – obsolete and improves on second-generation designs that are focused on industrialization.
Gazelle notes that its platform can be quickly and simply installed at project sites because it requires no specialist cranes or vessels thanks to a cost-effective, innovative design using globally available components and a modular assembly process.
“On top of lowering costs and taking advantage of pre-existing infrastructure, every aspect of Gazelle’s floating offshore wind platform is designed to minimize environmental impact by using less steel and materials that protect the biodiversity of marine ecosystems, eliminating seabed scouring, and reducing installation impact,” says Gazelle CTO Jason Wormald.
The platform’s geometry provides reduced draft in port, which means it floats higher in the water, enabling the use of shallow ports with high stability in towing and wet storage. Pivoting arms allow the platform to move with the wind, waves and tides that result in lower forces.
The Gazelle platform utilizes a dynamic mooring system that balances forces and motions through a counterweight, keeping the turbine pitch low and improving operational efficiency. Vertical mooring lines attached to the pivoting arms reduce the platform’s environmental footprint by minimizing impact and allowing for a 75% reduction in mooring length when compared to semi-submersibles with catenary mooring in depths of 100 meters or more, the company notes.
“Through industrial innovation, the platform components can be adjusted to accommodate all forecasted offshore wind turbine sizes, including the current 15MW or greater capacities,” Wormald adds. “Additionally, our platform can be produced anywhere in the world, supporting job creation through regionalized manufacturing.”
