Bourbon, a prominent player in the energy sector, has achieved a significant milestone in the initial phase of the 30MW EolMed floating wind pilot, located off the southern coast of France.
The project's Floating Electrical Hub (FEH) infrastructure is now successfully installed off Port la-Nouvelle, Gruissan, in the Mediterranean Sea. The ambitious pilot project, spearheaded by renewable energy company Qair, envisions three floating turbines slated to commence operations in 2025.
Integral to the project, the FEH plays a crucial role in connecting the hardware with the export cable, facilitating efficient energy transmission.
Over the course of a meticulously planned year, approximately 30 Bourbon experts, spanning engineering, project management, and offshore teams, were mobilized for the design, manufacture, towing, and installation of the FEH and its subsea mooring system.
The towing and installation phase, spanning two months, involved the utilization of the Bourbon Liberty 222, an Anchor Handling Tug Supply equipped with remotely operated vehicles.
As one of the pioneering floating wind farm initiatives in the Mediterranean, the Eolmed project is poised to make a noteworthy contribution to the region's renewable energy landscape.
Stephan Midenet, Chief Executive of Bourbon Subsea Services, remarked on the achievement, stating, “The project also demonstrates our ability to provide our energy clients with turnkey services mobilizing all the skills and assets of the group in EPCI mode, from the engineering phase to offshore installation.”
