Bluewater - Floating Offshore Wind Tension Leg Platform
Building on over 40 years of experience in designing permanently moored systems, Bluewater has developed a Tension Leg Platform (TLP) to support offshore wind turbines. The TLP foundation is lightweight and is not designed for tow-out stability with a wind turbine, but for the support of a wind turbine when installed at site.
The system has as an important advantage that it is installed in a phased approach and avoids risks associated with pre-assembled tow-out. Stability on the system is maintained by tension in the mooring lines provided by the buoyancy force of the floater. The mooring lines are tensioned straight between the floater and the anchor points, avoiding contact with the seabed. The system has minimal movements, resulting in substantial advantages for both the wind turbine performance and the power cable. The legs of the floater are situated under the wave zone so that the wave induced mooring loads are minimized. This approach results in the lowest cost of energy for floating offshore wind.