Floating Wind Turbine Design, "TaidaFloat", Receives Certification, Achieving A Milestone in Taiwan’s Offshore Wind Industry

2023/10/13

By Prof. Kai-Tung Ma

 

A team formed by Dean Mao-Hsiung Chiang and Prof. Kai-Tung Ma has accomplished a remarkable job of designing a floating platform that supports an ultra-large wind turbine for Taiwan.  The design has won the approval and a certificate from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS).

The platform, named “TaidaFloat” (meaning NTU float), is designed to support a 15 MW wind turbine. Its hull structure is based on the concept of a semi-submersible platform, which is proven in the oil & gas industry. It features a distinct shape, that is made of 100% flat panels without any curved plates or cylindrical columns. Such a feature simplifies the fabrication process and thus reduces construction time and cost. 

The development of TaidaFloat is led by the NTU team, while supported industry partners, such as CSBC Corporation Taiwan (CSBC) and Ship & Ocean Industries R&D Center (SOIC). The design has received an AIP (Approval in Principle) from ABS, marking a milestone for Taiwan in the field of offshore wind energy. Jointly with its industry partners, the team is currently working on the next step that is to build a prototype demo and install it in Taiwan Strait for testing.

NTU has been leading the R&D of floating offshore wind in Taiwan. The TaidaFloat project is made possible with fundings from National Science & Technology Council (NSTC) and Yushan Fellow program of Ministry of Education (MOE). We strive to support the government and industry to achieve the goals of 20 GW offshore wind power by 2035 and net-zero carbon emission by 2050.

TaidaFloat platform and mooring system, designed to carry a 15 MW wind turbine.

 

Dean Chiang and Prof. Ma attending a conference with a model of TaidaFloat.

 

Scaled model of TaidaFloat undergoing a tank test at NTU.