The Eolink float is naturally stable thanks to a balanced distribution of wind and wave forces. This patented architecture has never been set before but Eolink has been demonstrating the technico-economic advantages of the solution since 2015.

Thanks to the 4 masts, Eolink offers a better distribution of forces in a more rigid structure which is not subject to vibratory resonance.

The float uses the technology of MODU type oil platforms. It is a proven architecture which has very good hydrodynamic performance. With 4 columns rather than 3, it presents, with equal stability, smaller dimensions. Finally, its catamaran shape gives it a high towing speed.

Direct drive generators have a high efficiency, by using the strong magnetic field of new permanent magnets. Offshore wind industry chose this technology because of its simpler design and reduced number of parts. Even if weight and bending loads are drawbacks of this solution, Eolink has mitigated them thanks to a front transition piece. The geometry of the rotor spinning around a fixed shaft linked with both upwind and downwind legs has been patented in 2013. 

In order to accelerate market access, Eolink uses available components. There is no equipment investment required for the 5 MW pre-commercial, nor for the 10-13 MW. An adaptation is made to link the direct drive generator with the front mast, and lower loads. For this purpose, Eolink uses a front transition piece inserted into the existing kingpin.

In a second step, a change is made on the turbine take advantage of the 4-mast architecture. This change is mainly structural. The main shaft is modified to become symmetrical and distribute loads equally in the front and rear masts. The casting mass is reduced by a third, and the blades are made longer and more flexible than on ground-mounted turbines, thanks to the increased blade-to-mast distance. In addition, the yaw system, which enables yaw rotation around the single mast of conventional wind turbines, is removed. Indeed, thanks to the single point mooring buoy, this mechanism is no longer necessary.

Eolink can bear a rotor that is three times larger than its float. Blades can be enlarged because there is no longer any mast proximity issue. Eolink offers the opportunity to scale up blade dimensions avoiding mass and flexibility constraints. There is no other concept on the market able to afford longer blades without production losses.

In its 15 MW version, Eolink uses 130 meters long blades reaching 282 W/m².

Depending on the type of soil, Eolink adapts its anchors. The use of piles, for example, allows the pooling of anchor points, which reduces installation costs. Eolink also decreases the impact on biodiversity by using the semi-taut anchoring which divides by 5 the floor space. The single anchor point is connected to three anchors by synthetic lines. They are shorter, offer good damping and have a lower mass. Two nylon hawsers connect the float to its buoy to provide redundancy and dampen the effect of the waves. This technology is deployed on oil tankers for connection to the CALM buoy.

The single point mooring system is key to hasten connection and maintenance operations. It is a proven component from oil and gas industry, also known as CALM buoy. This point splits the system into two independent systems: On one side, the grid and anchor network of the wind farms, on the other side, the floating wind turbine. By using this system, farm installation is totally separated from floating wind turbine commissioning.

Eolink wind turbines have been initially designed for 12 MW nominal power. These 12 MW wind turbines produce 52 GWh, enough for 10 400 french households. Moreover, the Eolink concept is able to integrate 15 MW and 20 MW rotors. Even if this nominal power is not available yet on the market, this product is expected to come before 2025. Last, Eolink is developping its own rotor to optimize power production and increase its floating wind turbine lifetime.

The dynamic cable that connects the Eolink wind turbine to the farm grid (IAC) is shorter than for other floating wind turbines. Indeed, the submerged anchor buoy ensures a stationary position close to the wind turbine and the dynamic cable must only be deployed between this point and the wind turbine. In deep water the connection from the seabed can be ensured by a static cable. This is a real advantage because dynamic cables are difficult to manufacture and expensive.