Bill Gates-backed Startup To Test Unique Floating Wind Platform That Can Be Folded

Aikido Technologies, a California-based startup, is about to test its first floating wind platform off the coast of Mississippi. The company is setting its sights on international markets due to the economic conditions and political uncertainty in the U.S.

Founded in 2022 with support from Breakthrough Energy Fellows, a program launched by Bill Gates to speed up climate innovation, Aikido aims to reduce the cost of floating offshore wind deployment.

The platform stands out because of its innovative design. It’s made of 13 major steel components joined with pins instead of welded together. The process reduces the construction time in half. Plus, the platform can fold up during transport, using two-thirds less space in shipyards or ports.

In April 2024, Chet Morrison Contractors in Louisiana built the first 1:4 scale, 100 kW version of the platform in just 40 working hours.

The platform, which has received Approval in Principle from the American Bureau of Shipping, will be tested at Port Pascagoula in Mississippi, off Singing River Island Pier.

The U.S. Department of Energy backs the project and aims to prove the technology works in real-world conditions.

The platform can be transported on regular barges, reducing costs and making it easier to deploy from smaller ports. This makes it a good fit for domestic production, particularly in the U.S. Gulf Coast, with a solid infrastructure for building offshore structures.

Despite these strengths, Aikido’s CEO, Sam Kanner, doesn’t see the U.S. as their main market. He says the domestic offshore wind industry faces many challenges, including inflation, supply chain issues, and political opposition.

President Donald Trump has been openly critical of offshore wind and has vowed to stop projects. Some major developments in states like New York and Connecticut have already been delayed or cancelled, even with support from the Biden administration.

Rather than waiting for things to improve, Aikido focuses on opportunities abroad. Countries like France, Japan, Scotland, South Korea and Taiwan offer better incentives and stronger government support for offshore wind.

Kanner is especially optimistic about Scotland, where floating wind could generate up to 5.4 gigawatts of power. “It really feels like the market’s going to take off there in the next couple of years,” he said.

References: GovernorsWindEnergyCoalition, RechargeNews