The DemoSATH project represents a significant milestone in the floating offshore wind industry, becoming Spain’s first floating offshore wind turbine to connect to the electrical grid, the 5th European floating technology with a turbine of over 1 MW installed in open sea, and the 3rd concrete-based technology to reach this level of development.
The DemoSATH platform, located 2 miles off the Basque coast, features a turbine capable of generating up to 2MW of renewable energy. Its annual production is equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of approximately 2,000 Spanish households. As a result of this project, floating offshore wind technology is being introduced as a new renewable generation technology in Spain’s energy mix for the first time.
The commissioning marks the beginning of a two-year operational period to gather data about the behavior of the SATH technology, developed by Saitec Offshore Technologies, and the monitoring of the systems installed on the platform to understand its interaction with the surrounding ecosystem.
Specialized tools for the identification of birds and bats have been installed, as well as systems for monitoring marine ecosystem biodiversity (such as crustacean communities, other invertebrates, fish, and cetaceans) within the local environment. These monitoring activities will provide insights into the behavior of groups and species around the floating offshore turbine.
Additionally, the project will involve the evaluation of environmentally friendly solutions, custom-designed for SATH, which will aim to support marine biodiversity and enhance fishing resources in floating offshore wind farms.
“The start of energy generation from DemoSATH marks a culmination in the project. We are proud of the work accomplished and of being the pioneers in Spain in providing renewable energy with a floating wind turbine. This will be our testing ground to gain knowledge based on real-world experience and apply it in future larger-scale projects," said David Carrascosa, Chief Operation Officer at Saitec Offshore Technologies.
Previous steps
In August DemoSATH was installed offshore at the BiMEP testing area at Armintza in the Basque Country. Subsequently, the connection of the existing static seabed cable to the motion-absorbing dynamic cable, and the link to the platform’s bow turret was successfully completed. This achievement enables the transmission of the generated electricity into the electrical grid through the BiMEP substation, converting the force of the wind into clean renewable energy.
