Etermar Energia has started construction on the first small-scale BayFloat prototype, BayWa r.e.’s reinforced concrete semi-submersible floating offshore wind platform, under Portugal’s Recovery and Resilience Program.

Work launched early March at Etermar’s Port of Setubal facilities, with completion targeted for July 2026. BayWa r.e. has already supplied a reduced-scale design of its 22MW BayFloat substructure and mooring system. The concept enables adaptation to existing port infrastructure and locally available supply chains, facilitating the industrial deployment of commercial-scale floating offshore wind projects in Portugal and across Europe.

The prototype will carry sensors for a digital twin, tracking real-time position, environmental interaction, and structural behaviour through fabrication, launch, and wet storage. Anchoring will be followed by a two-year monitoring phase.

“The collaboration with BayWa r.e. is an important step into the future. It harnesses the capabilities of both companies to develop new technology that is more cost-effective and sustainable for the floating offshore wind energy market,” said Luís Machado, Etermar Energia’s executive director.

“[This will offer] us the unique opportunity to observe and monitor in real time the complete construction, load-out and interaction of a reduced-scale prototype of our floating wind foundation concept during wet storage in Etermar’s facilities,” said Ricardo Rocha, BayWa r.e.’s offshore wind technical director.

According to him, these learnings will be extremely valuable in demonstrating the design’s constructability and industrialisation, and in addressing the main challenges identified during the concept certification phase.