Seawind has signed an agreement with wind farm and solar park operator WRE Hellas to develop small scale offshore wind farms in the Greek Aegan Sea.
Seawind and WRE Hellas will develop a series of mini offshore wind farms in the deep Aegean Sea under the Clean Energy for EU Islands Program, a long-term framework to help the 2,000+ inhabited EU islands generate their own sustainable, low-cost energy.
“The development of economic, clean energy sources is of vital importance for many small Greek islands that rely heavily on tourism,” said Victoria Alexandratou , Managing Director of WRE Hellas.
“Seawind’s technology will enable us to meet this objective at a cost comparable to the wholesale price on the mainland and independent from government subsidies.”
Seawind is able to deliver one or two of its two-bladed turbines on floating foundations due to its concept of delivering completely assembled offshore wind energy units that are launched at site by a semi-submersible vessel.
“Seawind’s approach to assemble the entire system onshore and launch at sea by semi-submersible vessels is the key to bringing down the cost of offshore wind and being able to install 1 or 100 turbines in a very economical way,” said Martin Jakubowski , CEO of Seawind Technology.
“We are delighted to partner with WRE Hellas and together look forward to showcasing how 100% green energy systems will work on Greek islands and other smaller economies.”
Seawind believes it is critical to preserve the environment and landscape of the Greek islands while developing independence from fossil fuels and decreasing energy costs. The two companies will also evaluate various types of energy storage systems to guarantee energy supply 24/7. An important role in this system will be carrying the clean energy via hydrogen for transport use, the company said.
Seawind is currently completing the construction of its 6.2MW demonstrator in Norway and in 2018 will be implementing the design of its 10.4MW unit with a 210m rotor diameter.