Traditional offshore wind farms stand on fixed seabed foundations. But in deeper waters, floating wind platforms are changing the rules. Anchored with cables instead of piles, these turbines can harness stronger, steadier winds far from shore. Developers see floating wind as a fast track to larger renewable supply.
Energy companies and governments are deploying projects that showcase major advances:
Pioneering scale: Equinor’s Hywind Tampen spans 11 turbines, 88 MW capacity, floating 140 km off Norway in 260–300 m depths. It serves oil platforms with clean energy.
Energy savings: That project alone cuts CO₂ emissions significantly—about 200,000 tons annually—by powering offshore facilities instead of gas turbines.
Market growth: Global floating wind capacity is projected to rise sharply—from around 14 GW now to roughly 46 GW under construction or operation by 2035.
Ambitious strategy: Japan and the U.S. signed a collaboration under which Japan will invest ¥120 billion and the U.S. targets 15 GW of floating offshore wind by 2035.
That’s not all: firms are trialing shared mooring systems and modular platforms to cut costs. AI tools now monitor blade stress and wave loads to boost reliability. Floating designs also ease public concerns over coastal views and allow offshore assembly, expanding access to deepwater winds.
The business case is growing stronger. Floating wind unlocks new zones, leverages stronger winds, and opens routes for cost reductions as scale and tech evolve.