Although there is plenty of discussion around floating wind energy projects, progress in Spain has been slow—until now. The first turbine, a preview of many to come, is already operating off the Basque coast near Euskadi. This pilot venture, named DemoSATH, successfully linked a 2 MW turbine to the electricity grid, delivering clean power. To put it in perspective, a single turbine generates enough energy to meet the annual needs of roughly 2,000 Spanish homes.
The DemoSATH wind generator was installed about two kilometers off the Basque shore in August, created through a collaboration among three partners: Spain’s Saitec Offshore Technologies, Germany’s RWE Offshore Wind, and Japan’s Kansai Electric Power. Floating offshore wind technology marks a fifth European project with turbines over 1 MW, and it represents the third effort to deploy a concrete-based structure in its development.
The installation located opposite the Amintza district in Lemóniz, Bizkaia, features a rotor diameter of 96 meters, enhancing its capacity to capture offshore wind energy efficiently.
This project introduces floating offshore wind technology into Spain’s energy mix as a new renewable energy source.
Two-year follow-up
Over the next two years, this pioneering initiative will gather operational data from the turbine to assess its performance and guide the scaling of future samples.
“The start of energy production from DemoSATH marks the culmination of the project. We are proud of the work accomplished and are becoming a leader in Spain for renewable energy generated by floating wind turbines. This will serve as a testing ground to gain knowledge from real-world experience and apply it to larger-scale projects,” stated David Carrascosa, director of operations at Saitec Offshore Technologies.
Venture updates from the project emphasize the potential advantages of floating wind, including access to shallower turbines and potential lower environmental impact in certain coastal regions.
RWE Offshore Wind CEO Sven Utermöhlen commented, “For RWE, this milestone highlights the growth path of floating wind energy. It points to the huge potential globally, particularly in regions with deeper coastal waters such as the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Norway, and Spain.”
Utermöhlen also noted the distinctive concrete platform and single-point mooring design as elements that expand knowledge of floating wind concepts.
Biodiversity safeguards
DemoSATH incorporated specialized tools to detect birds and bats and to monitor marine biodiversity. These systems track the surrounding ecosystems, including crustaceans, other invertebrates, fish, and marine mammals, to understand local environmental interactions.
Ongoing monitoring will reveal how groups and species behave around the floating turbine and help inform decisions to improve turbine protection. The project addresses concerns raised by fishermen and environmental groups by tracking impacts and refining response measures.
Reference materials provide context for readers interested in the project’s technical and environmental aspects, without introducing external links in this rewritten version.
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