TotalEnergies has launched a pilot project consisting of a floating wind turbine to supply renewable power to the Culzean offshore platform in the U.K. North Sea, with the aim of pioneering a decarbonization scheme.
The 3 MW floating wind turbine will be located 2 kilometers west of the Culzean platform, 220 kilometers off the eastern coast of Scotland. The turbine, expected to be fully operational by the end of next year, is set to supply approximately 20% of Culzean’s power requirement, reducing its GHG emissions.
The turbine will be installed on a modular, light semi-submersible floater hull designed by Ocergy.
“This innovative pilot project aims at proving the concept of hybridization 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,” says Marie-Noelle Semeria, CTO at TotalEnergies. “It also aims at qualifying a promising floater design for the future of floating offshore wind.”
The pilot project was selected in Crown Estate Scotland’s Innovation and Targeted Oil & Gas leasing round, designed to encourage and support the use of offshore wind energy to directly supply offshore oil & gas platforms.
