X1 Wind
Scalable and cost-effective offshore wind
Carrer de la Llacuna, 162, 08018 Barcelona, Spain
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The start-up
X1 Wind is a disruptive floating wind technology developer. Based in Barcelona, Spain, the firm’s mission is to bring substantial cost reductions to the offshore wind industry, making it possible to tap into the huge wind energy potential located in deep waters. The company’s unique floating wind concept was initially developed by Carlos Casanovas in 2012 while studying at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), before progressing the patented technology for almost a decade. In recent years, X1 Wind has rapidly progressed its technology and is deploying a fully functional part-scale demonstrator in the Canaries. The company has also successfully executed several test campaigns, while steadily building a world-class team of offshore wind and maritime sector experts, backed by decades of experience. X1 Wind has been recognised by Sifted, the startup news agency backed by the Financial Times, as one of the top European sustainability start-ups to watch in 2021.
The need
The European Commission has highlighted offshore renewable energy as a key area of interest to meet its goal of climate neutrality by 2050. Utilities and power producers require floating wind solutions to exploit sites located in deep waters. However, current technology is uncompetitive in price.
The solution
X1 Wind has developed an innovative floating wind platform for the offshore wind market with the aim of significantly reducing capital expenditures and levelised cost of energy (LCOE). The main objective is to make floating offshore wind cost-effective and untap the huge wind potential of deep-water locations. X1 Wind’s approach is based on a downwind-configured weathervane platform that makes an efficient structural design possible while minimising the environmental impact on the ocean.
The value proposition
- Lighter floater: reducing the weight of current substructure solutions by 25- 80%.
- Easier installation: with an innovative single point mooring (SPM) system called PivotBuoy®.
- Reliable: using passive orientation and removing unnecessary active systems (yaw and ballast).
- Scalable: with the integration of larger downwind turbines and TLP moorings that scale better in deeper waters compared to catenaries.
- Lower environmental impact: reducing environmental footprint through the TLP mooring system and use of local infrastructure.