The world's first 16-megawatt tension-leg floating wind platform, Haiyou Anlan, officially entered operation on Thursday after being connected to the power grid of the Lufeng oilfield in the South China Sea, according to its operator, China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC).

The commissioning of the platform marks a significant milestone for China's offshore wind sector, demonstrating that the country's floating wind technology has reached an advanced international standard, The Caspian Post reports, citing CGTN.

It also provides a new technical solution for expanding offshore wind power development into deeper waters.

A tension-leg floating wind platform is a large offshore structure designed specifically for deep-sea wind energy projects. It consists of an upper floating structure, a seabed anchoring foundation and a mooring system that secures the platform in place.

Haiyou Anlan has been installed 136 kilometers offshore in waters with a depth of 136 meters. The structure is nearly as tall as a 110-story building and is equipped with a 16-megawatt wind turbine engineered to withstand extreme weather, including Category 17 typhoons. The platform has a planned service life of 25 years.

The facility is linked to the Lufeng oilfield's power network through a 4.3-kilometer subsea cable. Because wind power output varies with weather conditions, the platform uses an integrated multi-source power supply model that combines offshore wind energy, fuel-based power generation and energy storage systems. This approach enables a high share of offshore wind power to be integrated into the oilfield's electricity network.

Once fully operational, the platform is expected to supply approximately 54 million kilowatt-hours of green electricity to the Lufeng oilfield each year. It is also projected to save around 15,000 cubic meters of fuel oil annually and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 35,000 tonnes.

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