Barcelona-based startup Optimized Generators (Optigen) has presented an innovative offshore wind power generator that promises to be both lighter and cheaper than current market solutions. Founded in 2023, the company is working on a 15-megawatt direct-drive turbine, a standard in the industry, but redesigned to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
The project, now in the patenting process, has secured €100,000 in funding from the Generalitat’s Startup Capital programme, channelled through its competitiveness agency Acció. Optigen has also received specialist advice on intellectual property to safeguard the technology.
Co-founder Blai Pié hailed the prototype as ‘an important first milestone’ for the company, stressing that offshore wind remains heavily subsidised and requires disruptive innovation to achieve mass-market competitiveness.
The key breakthrough lies in replacing the heavy bearings that normally support the rotor with a wheel-and-rail system. This design reduces the rigidity needed in support structures while maintaining stability in all operating conditions. As a result, it cuts both material use and costs, offering a potentially transformative solution for large-scale offshore installations.
Optigen plans to launch initial lab tests by the end of 2025, followed by further trials in summer 2026, including an environmental impact assessment. Looking ahead, the company intends to expand the technology to even larger turbines of 22 MW and eventually 30 MW.
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