MOLO offshore floating wind platform lowers risk and costs

In floating offshore wind, innovation in product design is not necessarily the solution to industry growth. As Sønju points out, innovation in method could hold the key to genuine growth of this promising industry, which has been hampered by high costs and high risk.

“We must unlearn the way we’ve been used to working and start fresh with a new method. Legacy methods in design and fabrication of floating marine structures are not viable for the wind industry with its low margins and small appetite for risk,” he explains.

MOLO® is a patented floater technology, uniquely adapted to automated serial production. The concept allows for efficient, large-scale manufacturing using well-known manufacturing methods. At its core, MOLO is a floating steel structure made to support a wind turbine and falls into the category of semi-submersibles.

But here’s the big difference: by leveraging existing manufacturing capabilities and optimising the production process, MOLO embodies the next generation of highly efficient floating offshore wind turbines.

“Rather than focus on expensive, high-risk innovation, we have developed streamlined production methods to accelerate production and lower costs,” says Sønju.

To achieve this, Clovers has collaborated with the highly reputed European fabricators. MOLO can be easily incorporated into their existing production facilities with minimal modifications or adjustments. No technology is used that has not been proven for decades in the offshore industry.

One of MOLO’s most noteworthy features is its patented multiple column technology, which significantly speeds up the most labour-intensive part of building a floating structure. As a result, MOLO offers a more efficient solution for constructing floating structures compared to traditional methods.

“We provide a cost-efficient and competitive solution. Our supply chain is robust, and we have low schedule risk and low technical risk,” says Sønju.

On the environmental side, MOLO is made entirely from steel, which is 99 per cent recyclable. Moreover, MOLO will foster rapid growth of the floating offshore wind industry, cutting CO₂ emissions more quickly. And like all floating wind far from shore, the platforms will reduce visual pollution and bird strikes.

By 2050, floating offshore wind is expected to generate 264 GW, or 15 per cent, of all offshore wind energy. This is the equivalent to a project more than 3 000 times the size of Hywind Tampen, the world’s largest floating offshore wind farm, or 15 000 individual turbines.

Clovers’ end customer is wind farm developers, but the company must also collaborate with local contractors. The unique MOLO design unlocks the industrial path to cost reduction in floating wind, positioning Clovers as the ideal partner for EPCI contractors with the right mindset.

As Sønju emphasises, “Our partnership offers a golden opportunity for contractors who are ready to increase the value of their existing assets and be at the forefront of the emerging floating offshore wind market.”

“At the end of the day, we want to invite others to work with us,” he concludes.