Spanish company Esteyco has sucessfully completed installation of an offshore turbine atop a telescopic tower and float-and-sink gravity base foundation both made of concrete. The so-called Elican prototype is in place at the Plocan test site off the island of Gran Canaria with generation from the Siemens Gamesa 5MW nacelle due to commence in the fourth quarter of the year. UK company Ale Heavy-lift, which was part of the Horizon 2020 team working on the project, said this was a first of its kind project. “It does does not need large, costly offshore equipment for its installation thus reducing the overall installation cost about 30%,” it said. "All of the wind turbine’s components are assembled onshore in the port then the turbine is towed into its offshore position by tugs, making it a more efficient and economic methodology,” it added.
Spain 's Esteyco has successfully installed an offshore turbine on a telescopic tower off the island of Gran Canaria . The Spanish prototype turbine, which also has a float-and-sink gravity base foundation, is situated at the Ale Heavy-lift test site near the Canary Islands . Generation from the Siemens Gamesa 5 MW nacelle is set to start in Spain . UK firm Ale Heavy-lift , which was part of the Horizon team working on the turbine, said installation costs were reduced by about 30% as the components are assembled onshore, before being towed to position by tugs.