Designed to tackle global overcapacity and safeguard Europe’s steel industry, proposed EU tariffs could lead to rising steel prices across the bloc. This would directly impact products, technologies and infrastructure that rely heavily on this material. In the floating wind sector, where most current platform designs use steel as their primary component, a price hike could further exacerbate cost pressures, especially as the industry moves from pilot to commercial scale.
The high CAPEX associated with platforms and deep-sea installations is already recognised as a critical bottleneck (IRENA, 2024). Rather than rising costs, the key challenge now is how to bring CAPEX down to enable scalable growth. And that will not happen if developers continue to insist on steel as the dominant material for floaters.
Advances in platform technology, combined with the growing uncertainty around steel, suggest that steel-based floaters should no longer be considered the default option. Concrete-based platforms like TRIWIND present a promising alternative, offering significant cost reduction potential along with clear benefits in terms of durability, maintenance and environmental impact.
Thanks to its unique design, our TRIWIND platform can reduce CAPEX by approximately 60 percent compared to pre-tariff steel platforms. If tariffs push steel prices even higher, the cost gap will only increase. But more importantly, TRIWIND brings something the market urgently needs: certainty. Predictable costs, use of local materials and simplified logistics. A platform aligned with Europe’s energy and industrial priorities.
TRIWIND reduces CAPEX by ~60%.
Lower CAPEX, reduced maintenance needs and OPEX savings not only improve return on investment for developers and investors. They also contribute to a lower Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCoE), making renewable power more competitive and accessible.
While rising steel prices could slow down progress in steel-dependent sectors, floating wind has a clear way forward. By embracing concrete-based solutions, the industry can reduce its exposure to global volatility and move toward a more resilient, sustainable and cost-effective future.
Explore how TRIWIND is helping make that shift a reality.