A pioneer in the development of floating facilities in continental Europe, the third and final platform of the WindFloat Atlantic offshore wind farm was built at the Navantia shipyard in Fene and departed for the USA on May 28, 2020. To the Portuguese town of Viana do Castelo. The trip lasted three days and was “a milestone in its own right,” as highlighted by the group’s renewable energy subsidiary. PDE, the majority partner of the project. No special trawler was needed to transport This 30-meter-tall engineering giant and three pillars separated by 50 meters that it stands 8.4 megawatts (MW) turbine. The other two wind turbines on their twin platforms were already connected to the grid by a 20km undersea cable going ashore. Between 2011 and 2016, during the five-year period during which the prototype was tested, 2 MW of electricity was generated and sufficient quantity is anticipated to be supplied, with the commercial park now 100% operational. to meet the consumption of approximately 60,000 people.
WindFloat Atlantic’s experience and “previous studies and studies by organizations with knowledge and skill in offshore renewable energy” are the “reference” for the selection of suitable sites in the country to promote wind energy, according to the Portuguese Government. Sea With a target of reaching 10 gigawatts (GW) by 2030more than three times the set target Roadmap for the development of offshore wind and offshore energy in Spain (between 1 and 3 GW)pending a possible increase due to revision National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC) 2021-2030 by Ministry of Ecological Transition.
Portuguese authorities are only on the other side of the Galician border, in the reserved polygon in front of Viana do Castelo. We expect to reach 2 GW. In fact, the pilot area where WindFloat Atlantic was tested is 47 square kilometers. and will expand to 663according to the preliminary proposal for surfaces for offshore wind, which the country’s Executive Board has released for public display.
This first border, close to Galicia, was already included in the National Maritime Area Planning Situation Plan (PSOEM) – equivalent Spanish Marine Spatial Planning Plans (POEM)– Approved by Portugal in 2019. Three years later, “The interest in utilizing offshore renewable energy in Portugal is growing significantly due to the need, especially in the EU, following international trends in this area as well. reduce energy dependence on fossil fuels”.
Bet on the industry
According to the Portuguese government, the energy crisis from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the visible effects of climate change are forcing it to step up to the accelerator with renewable resources, “especially those that can be found in the marine area”. Since the country announced its commitment to offshore wind, demands for offshore park implementation have skyrocketed, and Beat this 10 GW ceiling by 20230.
The technical and geographical challenge is very similar to what exists here and in the rest of the Iberian Peninsula. It is associated with geographical areas due to the peculiarity of the Portuguese sea, which reaches great depths a few miles off the coast. where wind and wave sources are most suitableA number of areas are georeferenced where wind power from electric generators mounted on floating structures and anchored to the seafloor will be a source of electric power generation. as used “where possible” offshore in northern Europe; and “complete with wave-powered electric generators.”
selected areas
Other epicenters of offshore wind power takeoff in Portugal, Leixoeshas 463.4 square kilometers and 1.5 GW to be deployed; Figueira da Foz (1,237.3 square kilometers and 4 GW of power); Ericeira (256.8 square kilometers) and Sintra-Cascais (83.7), where 1 GW will be jointly developed; And sinuses (498.6 square kilometers and 1.5 GW). The ministries of Economy and Marine, Environment and Climate Action and Infrastructure are also establishing two more zones with a maximum depth of 50 meters and therefore capable of accommodating fixed-base offshore wind farms. matosinholar (180.9 square kilometers and 994.95 MW) and Port jurisdiction of Sines Port (9.6 kilometers and 53 MW).
Except for the last two, the rest are between 5.65 and 30.03 nautical miles. (10.5 to 55.6 kilometers) of the coast “to minimize interference with common uses of the marine space, particularly local fishing and navigation of recreational boats.” The distance conditions the network of electrical infrastructures to absorb the production of the parks. In the case of the Viana do Castelo industrial area, the extension of the network to the north is also not overlooked. New interconnection band between Spain and Portugal”, he says, referring to the planned electrified highway with Galicia.
auction
The Portuguese Government is moving towards ecological transition and decarbonisation of the economy. “For last quarter of this yearwe will launch our first offshore wind power auction”, said the Prime Minister himself, Antonio Costa, a few weeks ago, emphasizing the investment interest of “various large international companies” in the development of the sector in the country. While attending a discussion on new professions in maritime at the end of last week in Viana do Castelo, the Minister of State for the Maritime, Jose Maria Costaencrypted 40,000 million investments for the exploration of renewable resources in the seas and some 30,000 new jobs with related projects.