Wind Catching Systems AS (WCS), the Norwegian developer of a floating wind system using multiple turbines.
Wind Catching Systems is developing the Windcatcher, a floating wind power plant based on a multi-turbine design. Through having multiple turbines on a single floating platform, Wind Catching Systems will maximize the energy production per floating structure while enabling a self-contained maintenance system eliminating the need for specialized vessels to support offshore maintenance operations.
With the Windcatcher, a wind power system specifically designed for floating offshore wind, Wind Catching Systems solves some of the central challenges facing floating wind; drastically reducing acreage use per MWh of electricity produced while minimizing complexity and cost of operations and maintenance.
The Wind Catching technology is said to have a design life of 50 years and is projected to cut acreage use by more than 80 per cent.
The technology is also said to significantly increase efficiency in comparison to conventional floating offshore wind farms, and is expected to cost substantially less to maintain than today’s floating offshore wind solutions.
One Wind Catching unit is expected to produce energy for 80,000 households, according to WCS. The multi-turbine solution is also expected to solve sustainability issues related to the recycling and reuse of turbine blades, marine resources, and CO2 emissions from installation and maintenance.
The Windcatcher power capacity is scaled by changing the number of identical turbines, with no influence on turbine design, blade lengths or even the supply chain. This is opposed to single-rotor turbines, which meet significant new technology and logistical barriers from the increase of generator capacity, blade lengths and more.
With significant freedom in capacity scaling, the Windcatcher may be employed in medium-scale distributed power or in gigawatt-scale integrated offshore systems. The basic system characteristics and components are retained irrespective of the size and use of the system. This means project developers can have strong confidence in supply chain and component availability.