Ireland-based floating wind technology company Gazelle Wind Power unveiled the third generation of its floating wind technology at WindEurope 2023 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

This newly engineered floating platform provides a lightweight and economical design to minimize impacts on marine environments, use existing port infrastructure and deliver enhanced mooring innovation that enables serial production. The new iteration of the platform makes first-generation technology, primarily designed to float and survive harsh ocean conditions, obsolete and improves on second-generation designs that are focused on industrialization.

“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,” said Gazelle CTO Jason Wormald.

Cost and sustainability gains stem from the reduced use of steel versus traditional offshore platforms. A 1 GW offshore wind farm using this solution would save 71 kt of steel and reduce emissions of approximately 100 kt of carbon dioxide. The modular platform requires no specialist cranes or vessels to install and is anchored to the seabed by two vertical mooring lines attached to pivoting arms. A counterweight hangs beneath to keep the turbine’s pitch low, even in extreme forces, and improve operational efficiency. The design delivers a 75% reduction in mooring length when compared to semi-submersibles with catenary mooring in depths of 100 m or more.