BW Ideol - Floatgen Demonstrator
Floatgen represents a significant milestone as France's first offshore wind turbine and BW Ideol's inaugural floating wind turbine project. Operational since 2018, this 2MW floating wind turbine demonstrator is strategically installed off the coast of Le Croisic at the SEM-REV offshore experimentation site operated by Ecole Centrale de Nantes. The project is part of the European Union's FP7 programme, highlighting a successful European consortium collaboration. Floatgen supplies electricity to 5,000 inhabitants, establishing a new benchmark in renewable energy. BW Ideol's Damping Pool® floating foundation, a 36-square-meter barge with a 7.5-meter draught, showcases innovative floating foundation technology, offering enhanced stability and resilience against challenging maritime conditions. Constructed using local resources at the Saint-Nazaire port with a high local content rate, the project underscores sustainable construction practices. Since commissioning, Floatgen has exceeded performance expectations and achieved impressive operational metrics, making it a cornerstone for future commercial deployments worldwide.
INNOVATION AT ALL LEVELS
- BW Ideol’s patented Damping Pool ® floating foundation (36 square meters, draught of 7.5 meters), the world’s first floating barge designed for offshore wind
- Innovate concrete and construction methods developed by Bouygues Travaux Publics
- An international offshore facility operated by Centrale Nantes, SEM-REV, the first European multiple MRE technology sea site connected to the grid
- 6 synthetic fiber (nylon) mooring lines, a world first for a permanent mooring system of this size
THE HIGHEST LOCAL CONTENT OF ANY FLOATING WIND TURBINE
In comparison to other steel floating foundations, which are imported from abroad, the use of concrete for BW Ideol's floating foundation allows the construction to be located as close as possible to the deployment site. Construction at the Saint-Nazaire port was therefore a natural and optimal solution and has created a lot of local content. Additionally, the mooring system was manufactured by LeBéon Manufacturing in Brittany. For the majority of all other components or logistical activities, the Floatgen partners have also opted for suppliers within the Saint-Nazaire region.
70 direct jobs created at the height of the project for the floating foundation construction in Saint-Nazaire, 20M€ in orders placed with French suppliers, 80% of Tier 1 suppliers are French
Watch here the local benefits of the Floatgen project
BW IDEOL'S SCOPE OF WORK
As project coordinator, BW Ideol is responsible for the design and engineering of the foundation as well as the subsequent construction, installation and operation & maintenance of the demonstrator equipped with a 2MW wind turbine off the coast of Le Croisic.
SCHEDULE
- Construction at Saint-Nazaire harbour : 2016-2017
- Inauguration and baptism : 13rd October 2017
- Commissioning : mid-2018
PERSPECTIVES
As the first demonstration unit for BW Ideol's floating technology, it has provided, and will continue to provide, the consortium partners with an unparalleled experience, particularly in terms of construction methods, deployment, and operation, in addition to its value as a showcase model for future export.
OPERATIONAL RESULTS
Floatgen's operations, originally scheduled for 5 years, are able to be extended for an additional 5 years.
After exceeding expectations in 2019, the Floatgen wind turbine has set a new record in 2020 by producing 6.8 GWh, for a total of 12.8 GWh in two years. At end of January 2024, the wind turbine has produced a total of 30 GWh.
Moreover, a new capacity factor record was reached in February 2020 with more than 66%.
The wind turbine faced very challenging weather conditions, with maximum wave heights of nearly 11 meters in February 2020. Floatgen's remarkable availability, averaged 92.18% between January 2021 and January 2024. December 2023 stands out with a monthly production record of 922.026 MWh and a 61.96% capacity factor.
The excellent performance and seakeeping performance of BW Ideol's patented Damping Pool® technology are thus once again confirmed.
In 2021, Centrale Nantes published its first environmental report regarding Floatgen. This report covers several fields from physics (underwater acoustics, electromagnetic fields, temperature) to biology (marine mammals, benthic communities, avifauna, etc.) during installation and operation phases. The conclusions are rather clear : no strong effect or impact was identified in relation to the marine environment and no environmental incidents or pollution have occurred during the construction, operation and maintenance phases.
In comparison to other steel floating foundations, which are imported from abroad, the use of concrete for BW Ideol's floating foundation allows the construction to be located as close as possible to the deployment site. Construction at the Saint-Nazaire port was therefore a natural and optimal solution and has created a lot of local content. Additionally, the mooring system was manufactured by LeBéon Manufacturing in Brittany. For the majority of all other components or logistical activities, the Floatgen partners have also opted for suppliers within the Saint-Nazaire region.
70 direct jobs created at the height of the project for the floating foundation construction in Saint-Nazaire, 20M€ in orders placed with French suppliers, 80% of Tier 1 suppliers are French
As project coordinator, BW Ideol is responsible for the design and engineering of the foundation as well as the subsequent construction, installation and operation & maintenance of the demonstrator equipped with a 2MW wind turbine off the coast of Le Croisic.