World’s First Floating Offshore Substation
In cooperation with ABB and after nearly two years of extensive and thorough collaborative efforts, Ideol and AOE have unveiled their universal floating offshore substation for both bottom-fixed and floating offshore windfarms starting at depths of 40m.
Based on Ideol’s patented and shallow-draft Damping Pool concept and on AOE’s certified electrical offshore substation concept SeeOs, this universal floating offshore substation has been engineered to operate in the world most extreme environments and to offer maximum modularity. With the installation of the topside onto the floater at quayside, with the testing and pre-commissioning at quayside as well as an installation without heavy-lift offshore operations, this innovation generates significant cost reductions. Finally and thanks to a time-tested and readily available supply chain, the solution can easily be serial produced while creating local jobs.
This universal and modular floating substation is expected to have a significant impact on the market of offshore substations and is market-ready for upcoming floating commercial tenders, in France and across the world. The market potential is huge, as 115GW of new offshore capacity is expected to be installed around the globe by 2030. Bruno Geschier, Ideol’s Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, declares, “Ideol, with its patented floating technology and unique in-house expertise, is excited and proud to once again collaborate with leading firms such as AOE and ABB and to contribute to the acceleration of commercial-scale floating offshore wind.” Lionel Jossé, AOE’s Head of Sales & Marketing, adds, “This project reflects our capacity to capitalise on the lessons learned from the Electrical Offshore Substations we successfully delivered, so as to innovate and to implement ready-to-market solutions.”