The NextFloat+ project has secured €13 million in funding from the Innovation Fund to accelerate the deployment of X1 Wind's 6MW pre-commercial floating wind platform. Led by a consortium including X1 Wind, Technip Energies, and NextFloat Plus, the initiative aims to industrialize and scale up integrated floating wind solutions to a capacity exceeding 20MW.
“This grant represents a significant milestone for the NextFloat+ Project,” said Alex Raventos, CEO and co-founder of X1 Wind. “It will bolster our efforts in advancing floating wind technology, making it more competitive for widespread deployment globally.”
The project will see the deployment of the X90 prototype in the Mediterranean Sea, showcasing a cost-effective system featuring a lightweight floating platform with a Single Point Mooring (SPM) and Tension Leg Platform (TLP) to minimize seabed footprint impact.
Technip Energies' Vice President of Floating Offshore Wind Business Unit, Willy Gauttier, emphasized the project's role in advancing sustainable energy solutions: “This initiative accelerates the path to commercial-scale floating wind projects, positioning us to lead in Europe and beyond.”
The NextFloat+ Project builds upon the success of the PivotBuoy Project in the Canary Islands and introduces innovations such as a patented quick-connector system and environmental enhancements to reduce the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCoE) and environmental footprint of floating wind technology.
