Acciona Energía buys 24% of the French offshore wind energy startup Eolink

Becomes its first shareholder

MADRID, 30 May. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Acciona Energía has acquired 24% of the capital of the French company Eolink, specialized in the development of floating structures for the production of offshore wind energy, thus becoming its first shareholder, as announced in a statement.

The operation, subject to the fulfillment of certain conditions, is part of the financing round launched by the startup to promote its floating offshore wind technology and advance in the maturation of its 5 megawatt (MW) wind turbine, as a commercial technology.

Eolink was founded in November 2015 with the purpose of developing a floating wind turbine concept in which the classic mast is replaced by a pyramidal structure with four arms, which support the turbine.

Acciona Energía explains that this makes it possible to lighten the structure and disperse the load, reduce installation and maintenance operations and provide the wind turbine with a rotation system that changes its orientation naturally depending on the direction of the wind, optimizing costs and maximizing its performance.

The first pre-commercial-scale prototype of Eolink is scheduled to be installed in 2023 in the SEM-REV marine renewable energy experimentation area, off the coast of Le Croisic (France). With a height of 150 meters and a power of 5 MW, this floating wind turbine will be capable of providing energy to 3,500 homes.

Acciona Energy's objective with this move is to strengthen Eolink's financial structure for its development in the short and medium term, taking advantage of the fact that offshore wind power has emerged as a key technology in the energy transition, since it is expected to have an exponential development in the coming years, until reaching 235 GW in 2030, of which 60 GW will be installed in the European Union.

While grounded solutions, suitable for shallower waters, are more developed, floating solutions, needed for deeper waters, have not yet reached a level of commercial maturity.

This technology is necessary for the development of offshore wind power in some countries such as Spain and Portugal, with implementation programs already underway and a very deep coastal platform.

Spain has set the goal of installing between 1 and 3 GW by 2030, while Portugal has announced a first offshore auction for this summer, with the goal of having between 3 GW and 4 GW installed by 2026.