Throughout the 48 months of the project a part scale prototype of the PivotBuoy system was designed by X1 Wind in collaboration with the partners of the consortium, Intecsea, DNV GL, EDP CNET, ESM who brought their expertise and know how . Simulations where conducted by DTU X1 Wind and WavEC to analyze the PivotBuoy response under different conditions expected in PLOCAN to iterate the design. The structure was manufactured by DEGIMA in Santader before shipping it to Gran Canaria to assemble. The shipment was done with a cargo vessel that transported the structure dismantled in blocks. At Las Palmas port the parts were unloaded and assembled next to the quay at a local shipyard, Hidramar, in an area in the dock with enough space for the platform assembly and the cranes movements. Afterwards, the launching was performed with two cranes lifting the platform in parallel. Finally, the rotor was assembled while the platform was accordingly moored at the quay. In parallel, three concrete blocks, locally manufactured at Hidramar shipyard, were deployed by a tugboat at on the seabed PLOCAN site area. These blocks were the gravity anchors in which the floating platform will be connected once installed. Also the umbilical cable was laid in the seabed by the local working vessel TRAMES. Afterwards, the floating platform was towed and hooked-up on the previously installed subsystems.
Once the prototype was installed in October 2022, the commissioning was performed and a testing and monitoring campaign started to validate the project key performance indicators (KPIs). During the first part of the testing the focus was on validating the performance of floating and mooring system showing very good correlation with the numerical models as well as survivability under extreme weather conditions, facing some very large storms taking into consideration the reduced scale. Finally, once PLOCAN’s smart-grid was ready, the last phase of the testing plan started with the system validation with power production. Initial results show very good power performance and excellent alignment with the wind (as in the previous tests without production), as well as low accelerations and pitch angle during operation which we did not require adaptation of the “onshore controller” of the Vestas V29 turbine proving the excellent stability of the floating platform.
All the work, data, knowhow and experience gathered during each of the project phases bring key learning for future development of floating wind projects using innovative single point mooring sytems such as the PivotBuoy® technology. Despite the Covid 19 outbreak, and the volcano eruption at the near island of La Palma, the project was able to continue with minor disruptions and it was finalized succesfully meeting the project objectives.
Several communications activities were performed to disseminate the work done, the learning gained from the project development and to demonstrate industry-wide benefits of the project outcomes. Thus, various diffusion channels were used to distribute the information. For instance, through the project website, social media accounts from both the project and its partners, attendance to events, conferences and workshops where leaflets and posters were displayed as well as presentations made. Also, there were many appearances in the media explaining the project and the associated technology (e.g. press releases, articles in newspapers, TV and radio news and/or interviews, etc.). The dissemination performance indicators show that the project has accomplished more than the expected metrics and objectives set for the communication and exploitation of the results. Nevertheless, project partners will continue the dissemination activities through their respective companies and enabled channels out of the project period, demonstrating the benefits obtained and its contribution to future developments.
