BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 5. Saipem and Divento, a partnership involving several international and Italian companies, have signed an agreement to apply Saipem's STAR 1 technology in the development of floating wind projects in Italy, Trend reports.
The collaboration will support the 7 Seas Med project in Sicily and Ichnusa Wind Power in Sardinia as they prepare to participate in Italy’s first offshore wind auctions under the Fer2 Decree.
STAR 1 is Saipem’s proprietary technology designed for semi-submersible floating wind foundations. This technology, developed through Saipem’s experience in subsea infrastructure, offers a light and efficient solution for offshore wind energy production.
The 7 Seas Med project, located 35 km off the coast of Sicily, will have a capacity of 252 MW and is expected to generate approximately 800 GWh annually. It is the first floating wind project in Italy to receive environmental approval from the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security. Meanwhile, the Ichnusa Wind Power project, located 40 km off Sardinia’s southwestern coast, will have a capacity of 504 MW and generate about 1.6 TWh annually.
Both projects are in the development phase, awaiting the finalization of Italy’s regulatory framework for offshore wind technologies. The collaboration between Saipem and Divento aims to leverage the strengths of both parties in order to advance these projects and support the growth of Italy’s floating wind sector.
The agreement highlights the cooperation between Italian and Northern European investors and engineers, creating opportunities for Italy’s energy market and domestic production capabilities. Saipem’s expertise in subsea construction will play a key role in the implementation of these projects.
Paolo Bellucci, CEO of GreenIT, emphasized the importance of this agreement for advancing floating wind projects in Italy. Kunal Patel, Partner at Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, also stressed the significance of clarifications on the CfD system, which is crucial for the successful deployment of floating wind technology in Italy.