pyramidic offshore X1 wind turbine moves toward the air's direction to generate electricity

Pyramidic X1 wind turbine follows where the air blows

X1 Wind turbine adopts a pyramid platform to go with its buoy system to allow the structure to move where the air blows, hence generating energy almost constantly. X1 Wind turbine’s platform has a system called the PivotBuoy where the foundation is connected to a single point and allows the platform to move with the wind.

This system works best when the platform is facing the wind directly from behind, and this type of configuration allows the team to redesign the floating structure, making it more efficient in transmitting the weight of the turbine. ‘We don’t need a traditional tower anymore; instead, we have created a pyramid-shaped platform,’ X1 Wind states.

Its pyramidic offshore wind turbine uses a downwind configuration. In this way, X1 Win may not need to tilt or use special blades, thus avoiding hitting the tower and saving manufacturing costs. ‘This is especially important when we want to build larger turbines with a capacity of 15 megawatts or more. Our platform combines the benefits of the PivotBuoy system and the downwind configuration to make wind energy production more efficient and cost-effective,’ X1 Wind claims.

images courtesy of X1 Wind

Offshore x1 wind turbine is a modular structure

X1 Wind turbine’s PivotBuoy device combines a single point mooring (SPM) with a small Tension-Leg Platform (TLP) to make the platform lighter. The team states its pyramidic offshore wind turbine then is different from other floating systems that use spar and semisubmersible, both of which are heavier. The PivotBuoy is designed to be connected to the mooring system before it is brought to the site. This means that the platform can be assembled on land and then easily connected or disconnected when it needs to be moved.

It simplifies the process of installing the platform in the ocean because it can be towed using smaller, local vessels instead of large and expensive ships. The structure is also modular so users can build a bigger or smaller version of their own X1 Wind turbine. The company claims that its platform design avoids putting too much pressure on the structure, meaning that the turbine blades can be lighter, longer, and cheaper because they can flex away from the structure. X1 Wind adds that its system can be used in different water depths, from 60 meters to more than 500 meters, thanks to its vertical mooring system.

the platform has a system where the foundation is connected to a single point to allow it to move with the breeze.

From prototype to commercial-scale turbine

The first model of the X1 Wind turbine has already been deployed and tested. Named X30, the pyramidic offshore wind turbine was placed in the Canary Islands, Spain. The project began in April 2019, and the manufacturing was completed in November 2020. The platform was shipped in 9 parts to Las Palmas for easier transportation, and the assembly and load-out were successfully carried out in Hidramar, a shipyard with extensive experience.

The subsystem testing, foundation installation, and cable installation were completed by mid-2022 with the final offshore installation taking place in October 2022 at a water depth of 50 meters. The X30 prototype became the world’s first fully functional TLP floating wind platform to export power and Spain’s first floating wind prototype to export electricity via a subsea cable. The 1:3 scale prototype platform operated until the end of May 2023, enough time to gather data about platform self-alignment, roll and pitch, and power curve.

The results from here are now being transferred to X1 Wind’s commercial-scale projects, the most recent one aims to deploy a 6MW pre-commercial floating wind platform named X90 in the French Mediterranean Sea by 2025. X1 Wind is currently working on the design and certification of its first commercial-scale product through the EU-funded X1 ACCELERATOR Project.

this type of design allows the structure to transmit the weight of the turbine evenly