Life-cycle cost analysis of floating offshore wind farms

The purpose of this article is to put forward a methodology in order to evaluate the Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS) of a Floating Offshore Wind Farm (FOWF). In this paper CBS is evaluated linked to Life-Cycle Cost System (LCS) and taking into account each of the phases of the FOWF life cycle. In this sense, six phases will be defined: definition, design, manufacturing, installation, exploitation and dismantling. Each and every one of these costs can be subdivided into different sub-costs in order to obtain the key variables that run the life-cycle cost. In addition, three different floating platforms will be considered: semisubmersible, Tensioned Leg Platform (TLP) and spar. Several types of results will be analysed according to each type of floating platform considered: the percentage of the costs, the value of the cost of each phase of the life-cycle and the value of the total cost in each point of the coast. The results obtained allow us to become conscious of what the most important costs are and minimize them, which is one of the most important contributions nowadays. It will be useful to improve the competitiveness of floating wind farms in the future.