EcoSwing aims at world's first demonstration of a superconducting low-cost, lightweight drive train on a modern 3.6 MW wind turbine. EcoSwing is quantifiable: The generator weight is reduced by 40% compared to commercial permanent magnet direct-drive generators (PMDD). For the nacelle this means a very significant weight reduction of 25%. Assuming series production, cost reduction for the generator can be 40% compared to PMDD. Finally, reliance on rare earth metals is down by at least two orders of magnitude. This demonstration is enabled by the increasing maturity of industrial superconductivity. In an ambitious step beyond present activities, EcoSwing will advance the TRL from 4-5 to 6-7. We are shifting paradigms: Previously, HTS was considered for very big, highly efficient turbines for future markets only. By means of cost-optimization, EcoSwing targets a turbine of great relevance already to the present large-scale wind power market. The design principles of EcoSwing are applicable to markets with a wide range of turbine ratings from 2 MW to 10 MW and beyond. Despite technological successes in superconductivity, turbine manufacturers and generator suppliers are hesitant to apply HTS into the wind sector, because of real and perceived risks. The environment inside a wind turbine has unique requirements to generators (parasitic loads and moments, vibration, amount of independent hours of operation). Therefore, a demonstration is required. The consortium represents a full value chain from materials, over components, up to a turbine manufacturer as an end-user providing market pull. It features competent partners on the engineering, the cryogenic, and the power conversion side. Also ground-based testing before turbine deployment, pre-certification activities, and training are included. EcoSwing can become tangible: The EcoSwing demonstrator will commence operation in 2018 on an existing very modern 3.6 MW wind turbine in Thyborøn, Denmark.

The main aim of FLAGSHIP project is to validate and demonstrate a cost-effective 10MW Floating Offshore Wind Turbine (FOWT) to ensure imminent LCOE reduction in the range 40-60€/MWh in 2030 driven by economies of scale, competitive supply chains and a variety of innovations. The concept beyond is the first ever demonstration of a 10MW FOWT that will be demonstrated at a 1:1 scale in the Norwegian North Sea. It is a robust and innovative semi-submersible concrete floating platform that include easy-to-install anchoring design, novel moorings and mooring configuration, designs as well as new cable designs in with optimised installation and life management procedures. Consequently, this innovative demonstrator, as a pre-commercial windfarm located in the harsh conditions of the North Sea, will be the starting point for the large-scale assembly for 500 MW future commercial FOW farms, ensuring its feasibility to other specific locations in the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean and Baltic seas. In this context, the successful development will provide a fast maturing solution which could exploit untapped wind resources located in offshore locations not economically attractive today. For this purpose, the knowledge generated by FLAGSHIP and the results of the demonstrative scenarios, will be very important for the industrialisation of floating offshore wind farms. Technology demonstration can only be brought to the required commercial maturity level (TRL8) by the implementation in a real environment. To this end, 12 complementary partners with broad experience across the whole FOW value chain will join forces in a multi-disciplinary consortium. In addition, International stakeholders have already expressed their interest in the project, including Wind Europe, Ore Catapult, Carbon Trust & Sustainable Energy, making special emphasis in MHI Vestas Offshore Wind in order to support the demonstration project making available its largest capacity wind turbine up to 10MW.

The focus of the project will be on floating wind turbines installed at water depths from 50m to about 200m. The consortium partners have chosen to focus on large wind turbines (in the region of 10MW), which are seen as the most effective way of reducing the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE). The objective of the proposed project is two-fold: 1. Optimize and qualify, to a TRL5 level, two (2) substructure concepts for 10MW turbines. The chosen concepts will be taken from an existing list of four (4) TRL>4 candidates currently supporting turbines in the region of 5MW. The selection of the two concepts will be made based on technical, economical, and industrial criteria. An existing reference 10MW wind turbine design will be used throughout the project. 2. More generally, develop a streamlined and KPI-based methodology for the design and qualification process, focusing on technical, economical, and industrial aspects. This methodology will be supported by existing numerical tools, and targeted development and experimental work. It is expected that resulting guidelines/recommended practices will facilitate innovation and competition in the industry, reduce risks, and indirectly this time, contribute to a lower LCOE. End users for the project deliverables will be developers, designers and manufacturers, but also decision makers who need to evaluate a concept based on given constraints. The proposed project is expected to have a broad impact since it is not led by single group of existing business partners, focusing on one concept only. On the contrary, it will involve a strong consortium reflecting the value chain for offshore wind turbines: researchers, designers, classification societies, manufacturers, utilities. This will ensure that the project's outcomes suit the concrete requirements imposed by end-users.