A 450MW offshore wind farm is set to be built in the Adriatic Sea, off the coast of Ravenna, in Italy. This is after Saipem signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with AGNES and QINT’X to co-develop the wind farm.
The wind farm
This project will involve the installation of approximately 56 turbines on fixed foundations on the seabed at two different sites: one located more than 8 nautical miles from the shore, and the other more than 12 miles from the shore. As part of this project, innovative technologies will also be used such as floating solar technology based on the proprietary technology of Moss Maritime, which is part of Saipem’s XSIGHT division dedicated to developing innovative solutions to speed up decarbonisation process in the energy sector.
In this respect, the XSIGHT division has already begun developing integrated solutions for using renewable energy and for producing “Green” hydrogen. The Agnes project will be the first project to develop such integrated solutions, offering the opportunity to find an alternative solution to decommissioning O&G platforms in the Adriatic Sea. This project will be implemented in a highly industrialised area and the local industry will be involved in supporting it.
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According to Mauro Piasere, Chief Operating Officer of the XSIGHT Division at Saipem, Saipem has long launched a process to strengthen its presence in the renewable energy sector. In particular, through the XSIGHT division, the company’s new role as developer of offshore wind farms is being defined and the Memorandum of Understanding signed with AGNES and QINT’X constitutes a new important opportunity in this direction. “
This agreement is consistent with the new business model adopted by the company, which is increasingly becoming a leader in the field of energy transition, and introduced in 2019 as part of the agreement with Plambeck to develop wind farms with floating foundations in the Red Sea off the coast of Saudi Arabia. Through the XSIGHT division, Saipem is planning to launch similar projects in Sicily and Sardinia as well, using floating foundations for wind turbines, thus supporting the Italian shipbuilding industry,” he added.
