TetraSpar Floating Offshore Wind Turbine Demonstrator Achieves 63% Capacity Factor in Norway

The TetraSpar Demonstrator, a pioneering floating offshore wind project, has made remarkable progress since its commissioning in late 2021. Located at METCentre in Norway, this project has been instrumental in delivering green energy, supporting research and development, and validating advanced numerical models for floating wind technology.

Over the past two years, the TetraSpar Demonstrator has generated over 37 GWh of renewable energy. The 3.6 MW Siemens Gamesa turbine, coupled with high average wind speeds at the site, has achieved a capacity factor of 54%. Operational availability has been impressive, with 97.0% and 98.3% in the first two years, respectively, and an increase to 99.5% in 2024. The capacity factor also rose to nearly 63% this year, peaking at over 70% in February 2024.

One of the key features of the TetraSpar design is its entirely passive system, ensuring robust performance even in challenging sea conditions. This was notably demonstrated during the “Ingumm” storm earlier this year, where wind speeds reached 38 m/s and wave heights exceeded 13 meters.

The TetraSpar floating foundation, developed by TEPCO, Shell, RWE, and Stiesdal Offshore, is based on Stiesdal Offshore’s innovative Tetra technology. This technology allows for the industrialized manufacture of floating foundations using a building-block approach. Key milestones achieved during its commissioning include:

• The first industrial manufacturing of floating offshore foundation components.
• Quick assembly at the quayside without welding or special port facilities.
• Launch using a semisubmersible barge and rapid turbine installation with an ordinary onshore crane.
• Deployment from a shallow-water port, making TetraSpar the first spar foundation capable of this feat.

The TetraSpar Demonstrator’s successful performance and innovative design underscore the potential of floating wind technology as a vital component of the future global energy mix. By enabling the deployment of wind turbines in deeper waters beyond the reach of traditional bottom-fixed offshore wind structures, TetraSpar opens vast new areas for renewable energy development, significantly enhancing the potential for offshore wind power.