As prototype construction progresses at the Port of Las Palmas, ESTEYCO has secured Prior Administrative Authorization for the installation of WHEEL and its power evacuation infrastructure. This regulatory milestone paves the way for the prototype’s deployment and subsequent grid connection.

The Directorate-General for Energy Policy and Mines granted ESTEYCO the authorization to install the 6 MW WHEEL floating offshore wind prototype at the Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands (PLOCAN) test site, off the coast of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

The permit also covers the power evacuation infrastructure, which features a 3-kilometer, 20 kV subsea cable. This cable will connect WHEEL to ESTEYCO’s ELICAN prototype, routing the generated electricity to the Jinámar substation via existing electrical infrastructure.

This approval represents a major step forward in the project’s permitting process, following a favorable environmental impact assessment and authorization from the Spanish Aviation Safety and Security Agency (AESA) for installation at PLOCAN.

Designed to Leverage Existing Port Infrastructure

WHEEL technology aims to prove that floating offshore wind platforms can be built efficiently within standard port areas without requiring costly infrastructure upgrades.

Its compact design streamlines manufacturing, assembly, and float-out operations within the port. Once deployed, the platform functions as a spar—combining the supply-chain advantages of a compact build with the operational stability of traditional spar designs.

In doing so, WHEEL integrates an optimized design for industrialization and installation with high-level operational performance in a single system.

The insights gained during the construction phase in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria are key to validating the supply chain, manufacturing processes, and the technology’s capacity for commercial-scale production.

Through this pilot project, ESTEYCO positions WHEEL at the forefront of floating offshore wind innovation, advancing its path toward becoming a competitive, scalable solution for the commercial market.