- Europe Day on 9th May sees the launch of EIB’s 360° Quest for Climate Solutions campaign highlighting impactful projects to increase climate resilience across the European Union, including in Portugal
- Climate action is among the EIB's top priorities, translating to close to half of all investments in Portugal
- New immersive video experiences also with Portuguese subtitles showcase two key climate change research projects in the country
Combating climate change remains amongst one of the biggest global challenges. For the sixth year in a row, the EU bank increased its finance for projects that contribute to climate action and environmental sustainability, including in Portugal.
For Europe Day, the climate bank of the European Union, the European Investment Bank, is launching a 360 degree video experience that invites European citizens to visit virtually some of these climate projects for themselves. The episode from Portugal enables viewers to experience how the consortium created by Ocean Winds, -the joint venture created by EDP Renewables and ENGIE- Repsol and Principle Power Inc. – Windplus - is bringing clean energy from the seas, off the north coast of Portugal.
The EIB 360° Quest for Climate Solutions is an interactive, free platform on the EIB website where viewers can embark on virtual journeys to visit ground-breaking projects that are making a difference in the fight against climate change in Europe. Filmed with state-of-the-art 360° cameras in some of Europe’s most stunning scenery, these short videos are presented by the EIB’s reporter, who interviews top scientists, engineers, and experts on site. So, far the series has covered projects in Greece, Portugal and Spain.
In the episode “Wind power wonder” the European Investment Bank’s 360° video crew takes viewers on a journey into Europe’s first floating wind farm. Just 20 kilometres offshore from the town of Viana do Castelo, three towering turbines with 80-metre blades stand 210 metres above the water’s surface — taller than a 60-story skyscraper. These are the largest wind turbines ever installed on floating platforms.
An impressive feat of engineering, the three turbines generate enough electricity for 60 000 households, saving an estimated 1.1 million tons of CO2 a year.
Ricardo Mourinho Félix, European Investment Bank Vice-President said: “The EU bank is proud to be financing cutting-edge energy technology in Portugal, making it possible to install windfarms in locations that were previously not feasible. Contributing to Europe’s leadership in developing innovative responses to the climate change challenge has become more urgent due to the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. The new 360° Quest for Climate Solutions helps viewers embark on virtual journeys to visit ground-breaking projects including Windfloat Atlantic that are making a difference in the fight against climate change in Europe. This innovative approach helps to bring the EU climate bank’s projects closer to citizens.”
Bautista Rodríguez, Chief Technical Officer at EDP Renewables and CEO of Ocean Winds said: “The Windfloat Atlantic project is an important milestone in the offshore wind energy. Its use of innovative technology and its pioneering character have made it the first floating and semi-submersible wind farm in the world. The involvement of the EIB in the project is another example of how the EU funding is contributing to the development of promising technologies that enhance the commitment to renewable energy. There are great opportunities for expansion of this technology, both in Portugal and abroad, which Ocean Winds, EDPR and ENGIE’s joint venture dedicated to offshore wind,is already exploring. The company is firmly committed to become a key player in the energy transition while reinforcing its leading position in the sector. Participating in initiatives such as the ‘360 degree video series’ allows us to bring the project closer to our stakeholders in an easy and intuitive way".
Background information:
About EIB 360
Viewers gain a new perspective on innovative solutions to the climate crisis as well as cutting-edge climate research. The 360° camera work makes it possible for viewers to immerse themselves in these beautiful and remote locations – being able to look in all directions – as they walk hand-in-hand with our journalist. In the series, we introduce viewers to some of Europe’s leading scientists, experts, and eco-conscious entrepreneurs. The episodes are in English, but subtitled versions are available in the local language of each location.
An interactive map of Europe on the EIB website allows viewers to enter each 360° experience with a simple click of a mouse.
About the EIB
The episode from Portugal is available both in Portuguese and English. The following link offers online-readers the virtual reality experience. In the attachment you will find a link to the experience, downloadable teasers, blog stories and suggested social media copy for the episode in Portuguese.
About WindFloat Atlantic
WindFloat Atlantic (WFA) is the world’s first floating and semi-submersible wind farm in the world, located along the north coast of Portugal, about 20 kilometres from Viana do Castelo.
Windplus, S.A. is the company responsible for the development, construction and current operation of the WindFloat Atlantic project, and whose current shareholders are Ocean Winds - ENGIE and EDPR joint venture dedicated to offshore wind - (85,17%), Repsol (13,63%) and Principle Power Inc. (PPI) (1,2%).
The offshore wind power plant holds an installed capacity of 25 MW, and consists of 3 MHI Vestas V164 wind turbines, with a unit power of 8.4 MW, supported by 3 semi-submersible floating structures based on the "WindFloat" technology, developed by PPI. WFA became fully operational in July 2020 and since then, supply in electricity 25,000 Portuguese households, avoiding the emission of 33,000 tons of CO2 per year.