Global OTEC's Floating Prototype Withstands 19 Storms in Offshore Trial

Ocean energy company Global OTEC has completed a year of continuous offshore testing of its floating Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) structural prototype off Gran Canaria, with the platform successfully withstanding 19 named storms during the trial.

The company said the prototype completed 8,760 hours of testing at sea and has now been decommissioned, marking the conclusion of the offshore testing phase of the PLOTEC project.

Installed in October 2025 at the PLOCAN marine technology test site off Gran Canaria, the prototype was developed under the PLOTEC project, which received $3.9 million (€3.5 million) in funding from Horizon Europe in 2022.

The testing period covered the 2025-2026 storm season, during which 19 named storms were recorded, the highest number since the current storm-naming system began in 2017, according to Spain's national weather agency AEMET.

This story was originally published by Offshore Engineer. Read the full story at Offshore Engineer →