Technology Assessment of offshore wind turbines: Floating platforms – Validated by case study

Abstract

Although floating offshore wind technology is gaining interest due to its potential, the platform part makes the highest proportion of the total cost. As a result, an appropriate selection is necessary to reduce the cost. This research identifies the best system-based on-site properties (wind resource, water depth, distance to shore, distance to port, sea state, and shipping traffic) via the Analytical Hierarchy Process. Experts answered a questionnaire with numerical values to create a pairwise comparison for criteria and alternatives. Results show that experts do not prefer the Tension Leg Platform due to its complexity in the installation. Meanwhile, the most likely selection for the floating platform in high-traffic density sites is the Spar system. However, Semi-submersible systems are proposed as the best alternative in light traffic density sites. A validated AHP-based model is proposed to simplify the platform selection.