General framework of the activity
The mission of FARWIND ENERGY is to unlock the far-offshore wind energy potential which, to date, is left fully unexploited despite its exceptional quality (strength & consistency). Thus, FARWIND ENERGY designs, develops, commercializes and operates solutions for far-offshore wind energy conversion, storage and delivery.
These solutions are based on the energy ship technology which has been developed at the LHEEA lab of Ecole Centrale de Nantes.
The core technology of FARWIND energy solutions is the energy ship, which is a disruptive technology for offshore wind energy conversion.
At first, energy ships are ships propelled by the wind. In FARWIND’s energy ships, wind propulsion is obtained using Flettner rotors, which are vertical rotating cylinders which convert wind into a propulsion force through the Magnus effect.
Energy ships are equipped with water turbines which convert the ship’s kinetic energy to electricity.
Energy ships being mobile, the generated electricity must be stored on-board. Depending on customers needs, the energy is stored in battery or converted in an energy vector.
Possible energy vectors include hydrogen, methanol or ammonia. They are obtained using onboard power-to-gas/liquid plants. In case of methanol or ammonia, the necessary feedstock (CO2 or N2) are supplied from onland sustainable sources.
Specific skills in the MRE field
- Design, development and exploitation of far-offshore wind energy solutions based on the energy ship technology
Test facilities applicable to MRE
The core technology in FARWIND energy solutions is the energy ship, which is an autonomous sailing ship propelled by wind. The ship’s kinetic energy is converted to electricity by hydrokinetic turbines attached to the hull.
Tests of the energy ship prototype on Lake Vioreau in July 2021
The tests were performed on a 1/14th scale prototype. It is a catamaran equipped with a hydrokinetic turbines and a Flettner rotor. The Flettner rotor is a rotating sail system that is particularly efficient with cross wind, and today equips more and more trading vessels in the context of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from maritime transport. The prototype was remotely control from an accompanying vessel.
In a wind of about 8 knots consistent with the size of the demonstrator, Farwind Energy alongside Centrale Nantes and as part of a WEAMEC project supported by the Pays de la Loire Region, validated the performance of the remote control, the maneuverability of the ship, and its ability to produce energy. The results confirm that for a full scale ship (80m long) the supplied electric power would be more than 2MW in classic wind conditions. Given the capacity factor for these equipment the electrical energy produced annually (10GWh) would, for example, allows the production of green hydrogen at a very competitive cost.
