Floating Wind Turbines Get Lift from UK & US Partnership

April 25th, 2012 by Zachary Shahan

Floating wind turbines are quite a popular concept. On the one hand, I think people simply like when large human-made technologies and constructions float — it’s so counter how things typically are in our world. More pragmatically, floating wind turbines are exciting because they could allow us to harness much more energy from the strong and consistent winds above the deep sea, and they can skirt the NIMBY concerns of residents who somehow don’t like the look of wind turbines. Additionally, removing the need for expensive, difficult-to-construct foundations could potentially save a lot of money.

So, the news that the UK and US are now working together to advance floating wind turbine technology is sure to excite a lot of people.

“Floating wind turbines are to be the initial focus of a new agreement between Britain and the United States this week as international talks convene in London to accelerate the deployment of clean energy technologies,” the UK’s Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) wrote on Monday.

“The UK and US will agree to collaborate in the development of floating wind technology designed to generate power in deep waters currently off limits to conventional turbines but where the wind is much stronger.”

The UK is a clear leader in offshore wind energy, and it has plenty of potential to be even more of one. Here’s more from the DECC on this:

The UK benefits from a third of Europe’s offshore wind potential, has more installed offshore wind than any other country, the biggest pipeline of projects and is rated year after year by Ernst & Young as the most attractive market among investors.

Exploiting this economically, particularly in deeper waters off the west of the country, will require significant technology developments to build large offshore wind arrays. Much of the deeper waters between 60 and 100 metres are too deep for fixed structures but benefit from consistently higher wind speeds.

Floating wind technologies could therefore open up new areas off the coast of the UK. This will ultimately increase the potential of this sector, particularly post 2020 as the available shallow water sites are developed, and will help to meet our decarbonisation and energy security targets.

Intelligent, long-term thinking — such a relief in this day and age. Specifically, this is what the DECC notes is in the works and being invested at the moment:

In the UK, the Energy Technologies Institute is currently in the process of commissioning a £25m offshore wind floating system demonstrator. Participants chosen to take part in the project will be tasked with the objective of producing by 2016 an offshore wind turbine that can produce 5-7MW. Selection of the organisation to deliver the project is ongoing and an announcement on who will be carrying out the project on behalf of the ETI is expected early next year. The ETI is also currently investigating various sites that could host the demonstrator and has announced that it is working with WaveHub, 16 kilometres north east of St Ives off the Cornish coast to carry out a site feasibility study.

In the US, the Department of Energy have recently announced a $180m funding opportunity for up to four Advanced Technology Demonstration Projects in US waters – which potentially could include a floating wind demonstration.

For more information, check out the DECC page on this US–UK floating wind turbine partnership and more.

Image Credit: qayaq

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Tags: floating wind turbines, Offshore Wind Turbines, UK offshore wind, UK Wind Energy, US offshore wind, us uk wind energy, US Wind Energy

About the Author

Zachary Shahan spends most of his time here on CleanTechnica as the director/chief editor. Otherwise, he's probably enthusiastically fulfilling his duties as the director/editor of Solar Love, EV Obsession, Planetsave, or Bikocity. Zach is recognized globally as a solar energy, electric car, and wind energy expert. If you would like him to speak at a related conference or event, connect with him via social media. You can connect with Zach on any popular social networking site you like. Links to all of his main social media profiles are on ZacharyShahan.com.

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As you know, they have to reduce the vibration to install Floating Wind Turbines on the sea. Because, it makes many kinds of problems! The vibration’s caused by wind, waves and external forces. New Floating Body Stabilizer for Floating Wind Turbines has been created in South Korea. The Floating Body Stabilizers generate drag force immediately when Floating Wind Turbines are being rolled and pitched on the water. Recently, this Floating Body Stabilizer’s using to reduce the Vibration of Floating Solar Panels in South Korea. You can see New Floating Body Stabilizer videos in YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moO–q5B92k, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nA_xFp5ktbU&feature=youtu.be. Anyways, very interesting. Thanks.
Robs

“Additionally, removing the need for expensive, difficult-to-construct foundations could potentially save a lot of money”

Zachary as you know I’m a clean energy enthusiast but even I have to challenge that one. No one can seriously think that a pad of concrete will ever be more complicated or expensive then any of the possible methods of mooring, keeping afloat and keeping upright a wind turbine offshore
- http://cleantechnica.com/ Zachary Shahan
  
  we’ll have to diverge on this one and, of course, see what they can come up with.
  - Smithersrob
    
    I’m not saying offshore wind has no future I think it has a big one, I just think it’s a simple fact that any system to moor, keep upright and keep floating a turbine in deep water will always add a layer of complexity that doesn’t exist onshore. Add to that the device has to survive and be maintained in the marine environment where access for maintenance is also more difficult.
    
    If you disagree could you explain what it is about land based turbine foundations that are expensive or difficult to construct? And if offshore wind installations are cheaper why do the US and UK consistently report LCoE’s for offshore wind 2-2.5 times onshore wind?
    - http://cleantechnica.com/ Zachary Shahan
      
      Oh, i see where the confusion is. The “difficult-to-construct foundations” referenced in the article were *offshore* wind turbine foundations, not onshore foundations. Certainly, offshore wind is still more expensive than onshore wind. Whether or not they can get the offshore costs down enough to produce a net benefit from the strong, steady winds is yet to be seen. But i’m hopeful.
      - RobS
        
        Ah I see, you were talking about pylon based near shore systems vs floating deepwater, I agree in that comparison the cost differential is much smaller but the political benefits of positioning further offshore and even completely out of sight of land is huge.
        As far as cost it is a no brainer, economies of scale and new tech R&D are seeing steady price declines, whilst international markets and increasing awareness of the cost of externalities are seeing steady rises in costs of fossil fuel alternatives, it’s the old man A leaves Las Vegas heading west at 80mph and Man B leaves LA heading east at 75 mph scenario, it’s not a matter of if the two meet but when.