Nenuphar

About Nenuphar

Nenuphar, founded in 2006 and headquartered in Lille, France, was a technology company that designed, manufactured, and aimed to sell vertical-axis floating wind turbines. The company developed a distinctive technology using vertical-axis wind turbines (VAWT) on floating foundations, which allows for deployment in deep waters further from shore where winds are stronger and more consistent. This design featured a lower center of gravity compared to traditional horizontal-axis turbines, enabling the use of a smaller flotation system and potentially reducing installation and maintenance costs.

The company's key project was the VertiWind, a 100-meter tall turbine with a projected output of 2 MW. Nenuphar developed several prototypes, starting with a 35 kW onshore model in 2009 and later a larger 600 kW version installed on land at Fos-sur-Mer in 2014. The firm collaborated with numerous industrial and academic partners, including Technip, EDF Energies Nouvelles, and Converteam on the Vertiwind project, which received early support from the French government's "Investing for the Future" program. In April 2014, the nuclear energy group AREVA acquired a minority stake to provide technical and operational support.

Despite its technological developments and partnerships, Nenuphar faced significant challenges. Delays in its research and development meant its technology was not ready when partners like EDF Énergies Nouvelles needed to select a supplier for pilot projects, such as Provence Grand Large. The company, co-founded by Frédéric Silvert, also reportedly suffered from the financial difficulties of its key investor, AREVA. After raising approximately $29.6 million over three financing rounds, Nenuphar was placed into judicial liquidation in April 2018, and its assets, including 37 patents, were set to be sold off.