15 MW offshore turbine moves itself to the wind

The X1 Wind's wind turbine features a pyramid-shaped truss with a buoyancy system that allows the structure to move where the wind blows, thereby producing near-constant electricity.

X1 Wind's wind turbine prototype. Photo: X1 Wind

The X1 Wind wind turbine rig is equipped with a system called PivotBuoy, in which the foundation connects to a point that allows the rig to move with the wind. The above system works best when the rig is turned towards the wind coming directly from behind. This configuration allowed the engineering team to redesign the floating structure, making it more efficient in distributing turbine weight.

The pyramid-shaped offshore wind turbine uses a wind direction configuration. In this way, the X1 Wind does not need to tilt or use special propellers, thus avoiding hitting the support post and saving production costs. "This is especially important when we want to build larger turbines with a capacity of 15 megawatts (MW) or more. The floating platform combines the benefits of the PivotBuoy system and a downwind configuration, helping to produce wind energy. become more efficient and cheaper," said X1 Wind.

The X1 Wind turbine's PivotBuoy unit combines a single mooring buoy (SPM) with a small stretch leg rig (TLP) for a lighter rig. This model of wind turbine is different from current floating systems, which use heavier semi-submersible rigs and rigs. The PivotBuoy is designed to be connected to the anchor system before moving to the operational site. That means the turbine rig can be assembled on land, easily disassembled when it needs to be moved.

The process of installing a turbine rig at sea will be simplified because it can be towed by small ships instead of expensive large ships. Such a truss design limits excessive stress on the structure, meaning turbine blades can be lighter, longer and cheaper. According to X1 Wind, the system can be used at depths ranging from 60 m to more than 500 m.

The first version of the X1 Wind called X30 was deployed and tested in the Canary Islands, Spain. The project started in April 2019 and production was completed in November 2020. The turbine rig was divided into nine sections for shipment to Las Palmas. The assembly process proceeded successfully at Hidramar, an experienced shipyard.

Subsystem testing, foundation installation and cables completed mid-2022. Final offshore installation will take place in October 2022 at a depth of 50 m. The X30 prototype becomes the world's first fully operational TLP floating wind turbine rig that can export electricity. Prototype 1/3 of the life size is active until the end of May 2023, enough time to collect data. The results obtained will help carry out X1 Wind's commercial projects, most recently deploying a 6MW floating wind turbine named X90 in the Mediterranean Sea of ​​France in 2025.

An Khang (According to Design Boom )

Installing the world's largest offshore wind turbine
China has begun installing a 16 MW wind turbine, which can serve 36,000 households a year, off the coast of Fujian province.  35

China is about to install the world's largest offshore wind turbine
The 16 MW offshore wind turbine has a propeller diameter of 252 m and a sweeping area of ​​50,000 m2, which can meet the electricity needs of 36,000 households.  32