HiveWind: a semi-submersible floating steel platform for offshore wind turbines

HiveWind is a semi-submersible floating steel platform for marine wind turbines with an output in excess of 15 megawatts (MW), developed and marketed by Sener Renewable Investments and Nervión Naval-Offshore.

HiveWind is made up of six low-height columns arranged in a polygon shape, which facilitates construction and reduces the logistics requirements of the supply chain. Rectangular struts are arranged in a horizontal plane, avoiding complex connection structures and limiting element reinforcements. These are linked perpendicularly on the flat sides of the columns, avoiding complex shapes in the connections. One of the columns is located in the center of one of its sides, and connects to the wind turbine tower through a transition piece.

The platform is equipped in accordance with the environmental and metoceanic requirements of each site using damping plates located at the base of the buoyancy elements (columns) and the connection struts. The structure, in accordance with the described architecture, provides the platform with suitable stability, high buoyancy inertia, reduced dimensions and high structural efficiency.