SK ecoplant and Posco develop a floating substructure

Representatives from SK ecoplant, DNV Korea and Posco pose for a photo during a certificate ceremony held in central Seoul on Tuesday. [SK ECOPLANT]

SK ecoplant and Posco developed a floating substructure for offshore wind farms, the companies said Wednesday.

The companies received approval in principle (AIP) from Det Norske Veritas (DNV), an Oslo-based marine shipping registrar.

An AIP certification indicates that the reviewed technology meets safety and feasibility standards for applications.

Offshore wind turbines with floating substructures can be deployed on sea surfaces far off the coast, where the wind blows much stronger than near the coastline. Therefore, floating wind plants are less restricted in terms of location and have higher production efficiency compared to fixed wind turbines.

The latest semi-submersible floater by SK ecoplant and Posco is Korea’s first domestically-developed floating substructure, according to the companies.

The floating substructure is designed for 10-megawatt plus offshore wind turbines, and capable of withstand wind speed of up to 40 meters per second (89 miles an hour).

SK ecoplant and Posco signed a memorandum of understanding to develop floating substructure technology in 2021.

Posco oversaw the preliminary design and performance improvements, while SK ecoplant handled the demonstration technology development, including detail design.

SK oceanplant, a wind turbine substructure supplier, will produce the floating substructures at its soon-to-be-built 1.6-million-square-meter production facility in Goseong, South Gyeongsang.

SK oceanplant, recently rebranded from Samkang M&T, was acquired by SK ecoplant last year.

SK ecoplant and Posco plan to use the floating substructures in SK eocoplant’s 136-megawatt offshore wind farm project off the southeastern coast of Ulsan, according to the companies. The wind farm will begin commercial operation in 2027.

SK ecoplant and Posco held a ceremony Tuesday at SK ecoplant’s headquarters building in Jongno District, central Seoul.

BY SHIN HA-NEE [shin.hanee@joongang.co.kr]