The construction of WindFloat Atlantic has made Portugal the first country in Continental Europe to build a floating wind farm on the sea.
The project, started 10 years ago and already in full operation, has been producing energy through its 8.4-megawatt turbines, which are said to be the largest in the world ever installed on a floating platform.
The wind farm on the sea has a total installed capacity of 25 megawatts, generating enough energy for the equivalent of 60,000 consumers per year, saving almost 1.1 million tons of CO2.
About 20 km off the coast of Portugal's northern city of Viana do Castelo, the wind farm has been producing clean and renewable energy since the end of last year, according to the Portuguese energy company EDP, which is responsible for the project.
The project developed a pioneering technology that allows the installation and anchoring of 30-meter-high turbines 100 meters underwater, a depth providing stability even in adverse weather and sea conditions.
With WindFloat Atlantic, Portugal took its first step towards the exploration of the energy resources available on the sea, giving a new and strong impetus to the new industrial sector, which provides jobs and increases exports.
The farm's investments came from the European Union and the Portuguese government through the Portuguese Carbon Fund, a government mechanism designed to support a transition to the "resilient, competitive and low carbon economy."
Whilst the development of onshore wind energy unabated, offshore applications are already a reality, Antonio Vidigal, chairman of the Board of Directors of EDP Innovation, said.
"In a time as complicated as the present, the bet on floating offshore wind energy is a unique opportunity to boost the economy and help the much-needed industrial conversion of Spain and Portugal within the scope of energy transformation," said Mikel Lasa, CEO of EIT InnoEnergy Iberia, a sustainable energy firm.
EIT InnoEnergy has already invested more than 70 million euros (84.42 million U.S. dollars) in building an innovation ecosystem and in accelerating innovative companies and projects linked to the energy transition, being supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology.
A study by Enzen, an independent consultant, found that the floating offshore wind industry has the potential to generate a turnover that could reach 5 billion euros (6.03 billion dollars) by 2030.
Ana Pereira, an electrical engineer, believes that Portugal is "very attentive" to the necessary changes in the energy matrix, both for environmental issues and for financial cost.
"Energy is an expensive commodity, and there was skepticism on the part of the Portuguese for renewable energy for 10 years, but the country has awakened to this need. Within a decade, the forecast is that 80 percent of the country's consumption will come from these clean sources," said the expert.
Editor: Leon
