Oil Company Begins Wind Test of Off-Shore Floating Platform

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Europe’s Cap and Trade has reduced fossil energy use and grown renewable energy

Here’s an example of how fossil energy companies could switch to renewable energy.  The Norwegian company  StatoilHydro is celebrating the off-shore wind inauguation this month of their Hywind pilot in the North Sea. Off-shore oil drilling companies are in a good position to leverage their expertize to develop off-shore wind; (just as fossil companies on land could also switch from oil drilling to geothermal drilling.)

StatoilHydro’s $58 million Hywind project draws on the company’s long years of experience in offshore oil and gas drilling to easily make the switch to renewable energy. Because of the long previous experience with suppliers they were able to deliver the off-shore wind project on budget and on schedule.

Siemens built the turbine, while Technip built and installed the offshore floater. Nexans Norway laid the submarine power line to the receiving station operated by grid operator Haugaland Kraft who will deliver the power to the grid

Chip in a few dollars a month to help support independent cleantech coverage that helps to accelerate the cleantech revolution! The project is a bold, innovative first ever two year pilot program. The idea is to see if literally floating a 2.3 MW 65 meter high turbine with a 82.4-meter rotor on a traditional offshore oil production platform is going to work.

“Our goal with the Hywind pilot is to test how wind and waves affect the structure, learn how the operating concept can be optimized and identify technology gaps,” said Margareth Øvrum, VP of Technology & New Energy at the inauguration.

Image: Hywind

Via Renewable Energy Magazine


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