FloatMastBlue · Project

Floating Platform Cuts Offshore Wind Measurement Costs by 70%

energyPilotedTRL 7

Before you build a wind farm out at sea, you need to know exactly how the wind behaves at that spot — speed, direction, turbulence — for months or even years. Right now, you either bolt an expensive steel tower to the seabed or put a laser sensor on a buoy that drifts around too much. FloatMastBlue combined both ideas: a stable floating platform with a proper measurement mast on top, giving you the gold-standard data at 70% less cost. And because it floats, you can tow it to the next site when you're done — no more one-use throwaway towers.

By the numbers

70%

Cost reduction vs existing wind measurement solutions

1:1

Full physical scale platform constructed and sea-tested

1:25

Scale model tank-tested before full build

2.3 million EUR

Investment already made in development

20 years

Offshore wind park lifecycle coverage

Industry partners in the consortium

100%

Industry participation ratio in consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

Offshore wind developers must collect years of precise wind data before committing billions to a wind farm, but the two existing options — fixed seabed masts and floating Lidar buoys — are either prohibitively expensive or produce lower-quality measurements. This creates a bottleneck: poor wind data means higher financial risk, inflated insurance premiums, and potentially wrong turbine specifications. Developers need a solution that delivers bank-grade wind measurements without the seven-figure price tag of a fixed mast.

The solution

What was built

A full-scale (1:1) floating met mast platform that was constructed, launched to sea, and completed a series of compliance tests. The project also produced a Platform Deployment Report with video documentation of the deployment at the final operational position. The platform is patented, certified, and compliant with the IEC 61400-12-1 wind measurement standard.

Audience

Who needs this

Offshore wind farm developers planning new sitesEnergy companies conducting pre-construction wind resource assessmentsMarine survey firms offering met-ocean measurement servicesOffshore wind O&M providers monitoring operational turbine performanceEnvironmental consultancy firms doing offshore site characterization

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Offshore Wind Development

enterprise

Target: Wind farm developers planning new offshore projects

If you are an offshore wind developer spending millions on fixed met masts for pre-construction wind assessments — this project built a patented floating platform that delivers the same IEC 61400-12-1 standard measurements at 70% lower cost. Because the platform is reusable and can be towed to new locations, you avoid the sunk cost of seabed-mounted towers. It covers the full lifecycle from design through the 20-year operational phase to decommissioning.

Marine Survey & Met-Ocean Services

mid-size

Target: Companies offering offshore measurement and survey services to the energy sector

If you are a marine survey firm looking to expand into offshore wind resource assessment — this platform lets you offer bankable wind data collection as a service without the capital cost of fixed masts. The multi-purpose design incorporates oceanographic instruments and environmental sensors on a single platform, so you can bundle wind, wave, and environmental monitoring into one contract. The reusable platform moves between client sites, improving your return on each asset.

Renewable Energy Insurance & Finance

enterprise

Target: Banks and insurers underwriting offshore wind projects

If you are financing or insuring offshore wind farms and need reliable wind yield estimates to reduce risk — this platform produces measurements compliant with IEC 61400-12-1, the highest industry standard for wind data. Better data directly reduces uncertainty in energy yield predictions, which lowers the risk premium on project finance. The 70% cost reduction also improves the economics of the projects you underwrite.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

How much does this platform cost compared to traditional offshore wind measurement?

The project data states the platform performs wind measurements at 70% lower cost than existing solutions. The team has already invested 2.3 million Euros in development, construction, and testing. Specific per-campaign pricing would need to be discussed with the developer.

Can this scale to serve multiple wind farm projects simultaneously?

The platform is designed to be re-usable and re-deployable across different locations. A fleet of platforms could serve multiple projects in parallel. Each unit covers the full lifecycle of an offshore wind park from design through the 20-year operational phase.

What is the IP situation — is this technology patented?

Yes, the FloatMastBlue platform is patented and certified. It was developed by two Greek SMEs. Licensing or purchase terms would need to be negotiated directly with the consortium.

Does the data meet bankability requirements for project finance?

The platform collects wind measurements according to IEC 61400-12-1, which is the highest industry standard for wind resource assessment. This standard is typically required by lenders and investors for bankable wind yield estimates.

What has been physically tested and demonstrated so far?

The platform was tested at 1:25 scale in a tank test, then constructed at full 1:1 physical scale, launched to sea, and completed a series of tests with reported perfect compliance. A Platform Deployment Report with video was produced documenting deployment at the final operational position.

Can the platform measure more than just wind?

Yes, the platform is designed as a multi-purpose solution that can incorporate oceanographic instruments and environmental sensors. This provides fully integrated site monitoring — wind, waves, currents, and environmental data from a single deployed asset.

Consortium

Who built it

The consortium is a lean, industry-only team of 3 SME partners across Greece and the UK — no universities or research organizations, which signals a clear commercial intent rather than an academic exercise. The 100% industry ratio and SME-2 funding scheme (designed for close-to-market innovations) confirm this is built to sell, not to publish papers. The Greek-UK axis makes strategic sense: Greece provides competitive maritime engineering and manufacturing costs, while the UK hosts the world's largest offshore wind market. For a business buyer, this means you'd be dealing with commercially motivated partners who understand market needs, not researchers looking for their next grant.

ETME PEPPAS KAI SYNERGATES EECoordinator · EL
STREAMLINED SYMVOULI MECHANIKI EPEparticipant · EL

How to reach the team

The coordinator is ETME Peppas & Associates, a Greek SME. Contact details can be found through SciTransfer's matchmaking service.

Order a report on this consortium See ETME PEPPAS KAI SYNERGATES EE profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the FloatMastBlue team? SciTransfer can arrange a direct meeting with the developers to discuss licensing, purchase, or partnership options for your offshore wind projects.

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