Taiwanese developer Taiya Renewable Energy has partnered with French floating wind specialist BW Ideol, demonstrating advanced typhoon-resistant technology at the 2024 Energy Taiwan exhibition.
The collaboration introduces BW Ideol's patented "Damping Pool®" technology to Taiwan's waters, a unique foundation innovation designed to stabilize floating wind platforms against extreme weather conditions. This partnership aims to bolster Taiwan's nascent floating wind sector, crucial for exploiting the country's deep-water wind resources.
BW Ideol's Damping Pool® foundation has already demonstrated its resilience through over 30 typhoons and 9.5-meter waves in Japan's Hibiki and France's Floatgen projects. It is now primed to take on Taiwan's unique climatic challenges, positioning itself as the first floating wind project in Taiwan to use technology proven in both European and Asian typhoon conditions.
Credit: BW Ideol
BW Ideol's floating foundation features a unique rectangular ring structure with a central opening, known as the "Damping Pool®." This innovative design uses internal water oscillation to counteract external wave motion, stabilizing the platform—a critical feature for high-wave offshore wind sites. Horizontal skirt plates can also be added at the base to enhance hydrodynamic resistance and damping, further boosting the foundation's stability in rough sea conditions.
Mutsumi Yamada, BW Ideol's Regional Business Development Manager for Asia-Pacific, underscored the technology's robustness, citing its compact design, shallow draft, and high adaptability for operation in commercial ports, all of which facilitate faster and more cost-effective construction.
"Our floating foundations are engineered for simplicity and resilience," said Yamada, noting that the Damping Pool®-equipped platforms not only withstand extreme conditions but also optimize production costs by reducing reliance on large, high-cost cranes. "This technology allows us to bring a commercially viable solution that thrives in regions with challenging sea conditions."
BW Ideol, a subsidiary of global maritime giant BW Offshore, brings decades of floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) experience, substantial financial backing, and offshore operational expertise to the collaboration. Supported by BW Group's extensive resources, the company aims to develop at least 10 GW of floating wind projects globally by 2030.
"If this demonstration project succeeds, it will signal to global developers that Taiwan's floating offshore market is both technically and financially viable," said Kun-Da Wu, Chairman of Taiya Renewable Energy.
Since signing their partnership agreement in 2022, Taiya and BW Ideol have been jointly advancing the Huan-Ya Floating Wind Farm, located off Miaoli County's coast. The project secured its environmental assessment in March 2024, marking a significant step toward operational status.
The success of this partnership and the demonstration project could position Taiwan as a pioneer in Asia's floating wind sector, potentially establishing the island nation as a regional hub for floating wind technology.
