The WHEEL project, funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement 101084409, has successfully held its 5th General Assembly, bringing together all consortium partners: 2‑B ENERGY, CoreMarine, Rover Maritime, REPNAVAL, Bridon‑Bekaert, Vicinay, PLOCAN, FIHAC, CEMEX, and EnBW.

The meeting provided an opportunity to review the progress achieved to date and to align on the next steps at a pivotal moment in the project, as activities move firmly into the construction phase of the full‑scale prototype. This stage represents a decisive milestone toward demonstrating WHEEL’s innovative floating wind technology under real operating conditions.

Consortium members reaffirmed their commitment to collaboration, technical excellence, and the shared objective of advancing Europe’s offshore renewable energy sector through sustainable and competitive solutions.

Further updates will follow as the project advances toward real‑scale implementation.

The WHEEL project has obtained a favourable environmental resolution from Spain’s General Directorate for Environmental Quality and Assessment (MITECO), as officially published in the Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE) on 12 July 2025.

This approval represents a major step forward toward the planned installation of the 6 MW floating wind turbine prototype at the PLOCAN test site, located off the northeast coast of Gran Canaria. The project includes the associated power export infrastructure, which will connect to the previously deployed ELICAN prototype, a bottom‑fixed, gravity‑based solution developed by Esteyco.

WHEEL aims to demonstrate and validate a next‑generation floating wind technology under real operating conditions. Designed for deep waters, the concept integrates an innovative structural configuration with efficient construction and installation methods.

The favourable environmental resolution confirms the project’s environmental compatibility following a rigorous assessment process involving more than 30 public, scientific, and technical institutions. This outcome reinforces the feasibility of deploying sustainable marine renewable energy technologies in Spanish waters.

The WHEEL Consortium remains committed to advancing innovation, supporting decarbonisation objectives, and contributing to the responsible development of the offshore wind sector.

Official publication:
https://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2025/07/12/pdfs/BOE-A-2025-14439.pdf

The three anchors for the WHEEL station‑keeping system have arrived safely in Las Palmas, cleared customs, and are now stored at the Boluda & Suárez facilities. An on‑site inspection confirmed that all components are in excellent condition.

According to the project schedule:

• One anchor will remain in storage until its planned installation at the PLOCAN test site in Q1 2026.
• The remaining two anchors will be transferred to the León y Castillo Pier in the coming weeks, where they will be used as mooring elements for the AIRBARGE construction platform.

The anchors have been manufactured and delivered in full compliance with the technical specifications, certification requirements, and quality assurance procedures defined for the WHEEL station‑keeping system. Their safe arrival in Las Palmas marks an important logistical milestone ahead of the upcoming mooring pre‑installation and offshore operations.

This achievement reflects steady progress toward the full‑scale demonstration of the WHEEL floating wind technology, funded by the European Union through the Horizon Europe programme (GA 101084409).

As planned, this first phase includes the construction of the AIRBARGE, the modular semi‑submersible platform that will support the floating fabrication of the WHEEL foundation. The AIRBARGE is composed of modular buoyancy units organised into six independent ballast groups, where a compressed‑air regulation system allows precise control of ballast water levels. This enables accurate trimming, levelling and draft management throughout all construction stages, ensuring safe and efficient operations.

A total of 90 modules supplied by Sarens have already been delivered and unloaded at the port, and the retrofit and preparation works started earlier this week.

Once the AIRBARGE is fully assembled in Q3 2025, WHEEL consortium member Rover Grupo, in close collaboration with Esteyco, will initiate the construction of the WHEEL concrete foundation. Throughout this year, we expect to receive the dynamic power cable, as well as the mooring components, connectors and tendons. The installation of the tower and the 6 MW two‑bladed wind turbine is scheduled for early 2026.

By progressing according to the project schedule, the WHEEL Consortium—funded by the European Union through the Horizon Europe programme (GA 101084409)—remains on track to deploy the full‑scale demonstration of the WHEEL floating wind technology.

Even in uncertain global circumstances, our commitment to advancing renewable energy and environmental sustainability remains steadfast.

We are pleased to announce that the supplier for the dynamic offshore power cable system of the WHEEL prototype has been formally selected. This contract covers the manufacturing and supply of the complete cable system required for the connection and operation of the floating unit.

The design and engineering of the dynamic power cable system have already been completed within the WHEEL project, and this step simply confirms the procurement of the supplier responsible for its industrial production. The cable system is a key component for the real‑scale demonstration of the WHEEL technology, funded by the European Union through the Horizon Europe programme (GA 101084409).

This milestone further strengthens the technical readiness of the WHEEL Consortium, composed of leading European companies and research organisations with extensive experience in offshore renewables and the marine industry.

Together, we continue advancing the deployment of innovative, robust, and scalable floating wind technologies that support Europe’s transition toward a net‑zero emissions future.

We are pleased to announce that the WHEEL project has received the official GO decision from the European Commission, through CINEA – the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency.

As required for all projects funded under the Horizon Europe call HORIZON‑CL5‑2021‑D3‑03, WHEEL included a GO/NO‑GO milestone before entering the implementation phase. This milestone was scheduled for Month 15 (March 2024), and CINEA has now confirmed that the project successfully met all required conditions.

Receiving the official GO means that CINEA has validated the technical, economic and permitting feasibility of the project at this stage. With this confirmation, the WHEEL Consortium is now authorised to progress into the procurement and implementation phase, with the objective of constructing and installing the full‑scale WHEEL prototype by Q4 2025.

Congratulations to all WHEEL partners — Plataforma Oceánica de Canarias (PLOCAN), 2B‑ENERGY, Rover Grupo, IHCantabria, EnBW, Bridon‑Bekaert, Boskalis, Vicinay Sestao, REPNAVAL and CEMEX — for achieving this important milestone.

We also express our appreciation to CINEA for its continuous support to WHEEL and to all EU‑funded initiatives working to accelerate the transition toward a net‑zero emissions future.

The WHEEL Consortium composed of 2-BENERGY, BOSKALIS, ROVER MARITIME, REPNAVAL, BRIDON-BEKAERT, VICINAY, PLOCAN, FIHAC, CEMEX, EnBW and ESTEYCO as the Coordinator and Technologist, has gathered in Santander to witness first-hand the ambitious tank testing campaign of the WHEEL technology carried out in the facilities of FIHAC.

Video below shows the successful results on the seakeeping behaviour of the WHEEL prototype at different operational conditions including rated wind speed and severe sea states to reproduce different options in real environments.

Further tests will be carried out soon -now in collaboration with the UPM (Polytechnic University of Madrid)- in order to also assess the external abrasion resistance of the suspension tendons around the connecting elements.

With this, we are one step closer to our next milestone, the construction of the WHEEL prototype in Q4 2025!

The WHEEL project, which includes the full-scale demonstration of a revolutionary floating wind technology excellently suited for deep water locations, effective industrialization strategies, breakthrough cost reduction and minimized carbon footprint, has been funded by the European Commission through the Horizon Europe program.

The 2nd General Assembly of the WHEEL project took place last 26th and 27th February. All partners gathered in Santander to review the good results achieved in the latest months and to define steps in the next period of the project.

This GA meeting coincided with the execution of the tank testing in IHC premises. Therefore, all partners had the opportunity to witness first-hand the successful results on the seakeeping behaviour of the WHEEL prototype at different operational conditions including rated wind speed and severe sea states to reproduce different options in real environments.

The WHEEL project, funded by the European Commission through the Horizon Europe program, aims to bring to a precommercial Technology Readiness Level (TRL) a revolutionary floating wind technology excellently suited for deep water locations, effective industrialization strategies, breakthrough cost reduction and minimized carbon footprint.

ESTEYCO has brought to the WHEEL Project an additional tank testing campaign, carried out in the CEHINAV facitilies at the Polytechnic University of Madrid. The tests were intended to calibrate the hydrodynamic numerical models being developed in the project, and to confirm our previous assumptions. Several tests were performed including operational test in severe sea states, those driving
the WHEEL design. All temporary situations have also been assessed, confirming a suitable response against quite harsh conditions, which will maximize the workability during the installation campaigns.

The campaign’s results are exceptional. As expected, WHEEL performs in all tested situations and its behaviour is excellent even in the most severe conditions, which confirms the WHEEL technology is a top list player in the floating wind industry.

All results have been thoroughly analyzed and numerical models have been calibrated to match the tank response. This is the seed for the trustable results coming from the aero-servo-hydro-elastic simulations which will take place soon.