This concept, IMHO, has merit. But, it's not clear to me that testing a tiny model of it in a wave tank is going to tell them how the platform will survive in seriously choppy open ocean. I'd like to see some live testing 'out there'.
I dont quite follow how they keep it facing the wind if it's free to pivot
Also if this is a major cost saver, it would work on land too yes?
Facing the wind is based on the drag force on the entire machine, which is tethered under water by a cable to a pivot; something like how a kite moves around as wind changes.
Working on land would entail mounting it on some kind of rollers.