The World’s First Floating Wind Turbine

Though the idea of offshore wind farms is nothing new, even as they’re being rolled out along coastlines, they’re limitations are already well documented. Current technologies and costs force turbines to be installed relatively close to shore in water depths ranging between 75 and 150 feet, as the structures are embedded securely into the earth. This static design coupled with the additional stresses of the ocean’s currents, require greater stability be manufactured into the offshore turbines, driving up expenses versus similar farms constructed on land. In spite of these financial deterrents, the potential for harnessing high winds on the open seas remains an attractive option.

Hoping to solve this dilemma, Norwegian researchers have developed a floating turbine called the Hywind that can operate in waters deeper than 360 feet, enabling it to function virtually anywhere. The initial design was launched off the coast of Stavanger, an oil town located in southwestern Norway back in June. The Hywind rises 300 feet above the waves with a 300 foot steel cylinder ballast weighing 3,000 tons, floating below. The bottom portion employs technology utilized in offshore oil and gas rigs, where slack anchors stabilize the turbine in water levels up to 2100 feet, a dynamic model that allows the turbine to move with ocean currents.

While the prototype has already silenced many critics who said the design wasn’t feasible, the project still has a long way to go before it can become economically viable. Lighter materials and a lower design to capture stronger winds closer to the surface of the water are needed, but thanks to the project’s early success, these improvements are already underway.

A video showing the turbine in action can be seen here.

[via BBC]

[image via phault on Flickr]