Sperra has deployed its first full-scale 3D-printed concrete gravity anchor at EDP’s floating solar test facility at the Alto Rabagão pumped hydropower reservoir.
The installation is the first field demonstration of the company’s anchoring technology and is intended to support commercial deployment of digitally designed, locally manufactured anchors for floating renewable energy systems.
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Floating solar, offshore wind and wave energy projects are moving into deeper water and harsher environments, increasing the importance of anchoring systems for cost, constructability and long-term performance.
Sperra’s gravity anchor platform uses site-specific designs and large-scale 3D concrete printing to produce anchors closer to deployment locations. The company said this approach can reduce material use, transport requirements and installation complexity.
The anchors are part of Sperra’s Anchors on Demand platform, which designs each unit based on project loads, mooring layout and site conditions rather than using standard precast blocks or embedded systems.
The pilot project was carried out with Fred. Olsen 1848 and Dutch 3D printing company Vertico. Vertico printed and delivered the anchor, while Fred. Olsen 1848 integrated it with its Tension Buoy mooring system for testing.
The Alto Rabagão site features up to 50m of seasonal water-level variation, wind speeds of up to 31m/s and water depths exceeding 60m, along with winter conditions such as snow loading.
Sperra said these conditions provide a test environment for anchoring systems used in floating solar.
Sperra’s Gravity Anchor lead Mason Bell said: “This pilot is an important step toward commercial deployment. It shows that a digitally designed, 3D-printed concrete anchor can be produced, delivered and installed in a real project environment. That kind of proof matters as floating energy developers look for proven anchoring solutions that are more flexible, more local and more cost-effective.”
Even Hjetland, principal development engineer at Fred. Olsen 1848, added: “Collaboration and knowledge-sharing are essential to drive innovation. Deploying Sperra’s 3D-printed gravity anchor alongside the Tension Buoy system allows us to validate novel anchoring concepts under extreme, year-round conditions.”
“Through the Floating PV Lab, EDP strengthens its focus on innovation and positions this initiative as a strategic, collaborative platform,” commented Pedro Miguel Oliveira, head of new technologies and special projects at EDP. By closely monitoring technological evolution and performance, EDP secures a solid competitive edge in the development of next-generation renewable energy solutions.”
Sperra said data from the year-long demonstration will be used to refine designs, installation methods and supply-chain strategies as it moves towards wider deployment across floating solar, wind and wave energy projects.
