A floating offshore wind turbine foundation developed by Daewoo Engineering & Construction and its Dutch partner Monobase Wind (Daewoo E&C)

Daewoo Engineering & Construction announced Friday that a floating offshore wind turbine foundation jointly developed by the Korean builder and its partner from the Netherlands has acquired approval in principle from Det Norske Veritas, an international accredited certification body.

In 2021, Daewoo E&C and Monobase Wind started a partnership to develop a floating offshore wind turbine foundation. In March 2022, the two companies completed model tests for their wind turbine foundation called the MSPAR foundation. In September last year, they also acquired an international patent for the floating foundation.

According to Daewoo E&C, the MSPAR foundation is a combination of semi-submersible and spar foundations, the two commonly used foundation models for floating wind turbines. The foundation is designed for complete assembly at the quayside and is able to support 15-megawatt offshore wind turbines in water depths of more than 90 meters.

The wind turbine structure is also designed to withstand challenges associated with varying sea conditions, Daewoo E&C added. The MSPAR foundation can remain stable even at a maximum wind speed of 61 meters per second and a maximum wave height of 11.5 meters, the company added.

“With the latest AIP (approval in principle) for the foundation model that can sustain a 15-MW offshore wind turbine, Daewoo E&C is now able to make bids in the offshore wind project in Ulsan,” an official from Daewoo E&C said. “The company will continue its research and development in the increasingly important renewable energy sector and try to participate more in related business projects.”