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Hub AI
Floating wind turbine AI simulator
(@Floating wind turbine_simulator)
Hub AI
Floating wind turbine AI simulator
(@Floating wind turbine_simulator)
Floating wind turbine
A floating wind turbine is an offshore wind turbine mounted on a floating structure that allows the turbine to generate electricity in water depths where fixed-foundation turbines are not economically feasible. Floating wind farms have the potential to significantly increase the sea area available for offshore wind farms, especially in countries with limited shallow waters, such as Spain, Portugal, Japan, France and the United States' West Coast. Locating wind farms further offshore can also reduce visual pollution, provide better accommodation for fishing and shipping lanes, and reach stronger and more consistent winds.
Commercial floating wind turbines are mostly at the early phase of development, with several single turbine prototypes having been installed since 2007, and the first farms since 2017. As of October 2024[update], there are 245 MW of operational floating wind turbines, with a future pipeline of 266 GW around the world.
The Hywind Tampen floating offshore wind farm, recognized as the world's largest, began operating in August 2023. Located approximately 140 kilometers off the coast of Norway, it consists of 11 turbines and is expected to supply about 35% of the electricity needs for five nearby oil and gas platforms. When it was consented in April 2024, the Green Volt offshore wind farm off the north-east coast of Scotland was the world's largest consented floating offshore wind farm at 560 MW from 35 turbines each rated at 16 MW. It will mostly supply electricity to decarbonise offshore oil, but will also provide power to the National Grid. However the nearest oil platform has refused to be connected and doubts have been expressed about relying on renewable energy on oil platforms, potentially causing problems with the viability of the project.
The concept for large-scale offshore floating wind turbines was introduced by William E. Heronemus at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1972. It was not until the mid 1990s, after the commercial wind industry was well established, that the topic was taken up again by the mainstream research community. A summary of projects and developments is given below.
In December 2007, Blue H Technologies of the Netherlands deployed the world's first floating wind turbine, 21.3 kilometres (13.2 mi) off the coast of Apulia, Italy. The 80 kW prototype was installed in waters 113 metres (371 ft) deep in order to gather test data on wind and sea conditions, and was decommissioned at the end of 2008. The turbine utilized a tension-leg platform design and a two-bladed turbine.[needs update]
In December 2009, the first large-capacity, 2.3 MW floating wind turbine named Hywind became operation in the North Sea near Norway. The turbine was constructed by Siemens Wind Power and mounted on a floating tower with a 100 m deep draft, with a float tower constructed by Technip. After assembly in the calmer waters of Åmøy Fjord near Stavanger, Norway, the 120 m tall tower was towed 10 km offshore into 220 m deep water, 10 km southwest of Karmøy, on 6 June 2009 for a two-year test deployment. Hywind, owned by Statoil, cost 400 million kroner (around US$62 million) to build and deploy. The 13-kilometre (8.1 mi) long submarine power transmission cable was installed in July 2009 and system test including rotor blades and initial power transmission was conducted shortly thereafter. The installation was expected to generate about 9 gigawatt-hour of electricity annually. In 2010 it survived 11 meter waves with seemingly no wear. By 2016, the turbine had produced 50 GWh; an overall capacity factor of 41%. The turbine survived 40 m/s wind speed and 19 m waves and was sold in 2019, expecting 10 more years of production and tests. At the same site, the 3.6 MW TetraSpar was commissioned in December 2021.
In September 2011, Principle Power, backed by EDP, Repsol, ASM and Portugal ventures installed in Portugal the second grid-connected full-scale prototype. WindFloat WF1 was fitted with a Vestas 2 MW turbine and went on to produce over 17 GWh of electricity over the next 5 years. The unit was decommissioned in 2016 and was later repurposed.
In June 2013, the University of Maine deployed the 20 kW VolturnUS 1:8, a 65 foot (20 m) tall floating turbine prototype that is 1:8th the scale of a 6-MW, 450 foot (140 m) rotor diameter design. VolturnUS 1:8 was the first grid-connected offshore wind turbine deployed in the Americas. The VolturnUS design utilizes a concrete semi-submersible floating hull and a composite materials tower designed to reduce both capital and Operation & Maintenance costs, and to allow local manufacturing. The technology was the result of collaborative research and development conducted by the University of Maine-led DeepCwind Consortium.[needs update]
Floating wind turbine
A floating wind turbine is an offshore wind turbine mounted on a floating structure that allows the turbine to generate electricity in water depths where fixed-foundation turbines are not economically feasible. Floating wind farms have the potential to significantly increase the sea area available for offshore wind farms, especially in countries with limited shallow waters, such as Spain, Portugal, Japan, France and the United States' West Coast. Locating wind farms further offshore can also reduce visual pollution, provide better accommodation for fishing and shipping lanes, and reach stronger and more consistent winds.
Commercial floating wind turbines are mostly at the early phase of development, with several single turbine prototypes having been installed since 2007, and the first farms since 2017. As of October 2024[update], there are 245 MW of operational floating wind turbines, with a future pipeline of 266 GW around the world.
The Hywind Tampen floating offshore wind farm, recognized as the world's largest, began operating in August 2023. Located approximately 140 kilometers off the coast of Norway, it consists of 11 turbines and is expected to supply about 35% of the electricity needs for five nearby oil and gas platforms. When it was consented in April 2024, the Green Volt offshore wind farm off the north-east coast of Scotland was the world's largest consented floating offshore wind farm at 560 MW from 35 turbines each rated at 16 MW. It will mostly supply electricity to decarbonise offshore oil, but will also provide power to the National Grid. However the nearest oil platform has refused to be connected and doubts have been expressed about relying on renewable energy on oil platforms, potentially causing problems with the viability of the project.
The concept for large-scale offshore floating wind turbines was introduced by William E. Heronemus at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1972. It was not until the mid 1990s, after the commercial wind industry was well established, that the topic was taken up again by the mainstream research community. A summary of projects and developments is given below.
In December 2007, Blue H Technologies of the Netherlands deployed the world's first floating wind turbine, 21.3 kilometres (13.2 mi) off the coast of Apulia, Italy. The 80 kW prototype was installed in waters 113 metres (371 ft) deep in order to gather test data on wind and sea conditions, and was decommissioned at the end of 2008. The turbine utilized a tension-leg platform design and a two-bladed turbine.[needs update]
In December 2009, the first large-capacity, 2.3 MW floating wind turbine named Hywind became operation in the North Sea near Norway. The turbine was constructed by Siemens Wind Power and mounted on a floating tower with a 100 m deep draft, with a float tower constructed by Technip. After assembly in the calmer waters of Åmøy Fjord near Stavanger, Norway, the 120 m tall tower was towed 10 km offshore into 220 m deep water, 10 km southwest of Karmøy, on 6 June 2009 for a two-year test deployment. Hywind, owned by Statoil, cost 400 million kroner (around US$62 million) to build and deploy. The 13-kilometre (8.1 mi) long submarine power transmission cable was installed in July 2009 and system test including rotor blades and initial power transmission was conducted shortly thereafter. The installation was expected to generate about 9 gigawatt-hour of electricity annually. In 2010 it survived 11 meter waves with seemingly no wear. By 2016, the turbine had produced 50 GWh; an overall capacity factor of 41%. The turbine survived 40 m/s wind speed and 19 m waves and was sold in 2019, expecting 10 more years of production and tests. At the same site, the 3.6 MW TetraSpar was commissioned in December 2021.
In September 2011, Principle Power, backed by EDP, Repsol, ASM and Portugal ventures installed in Portugal the second grid-connected full-scale prototype. WindFloat WF1 was fitted with a Vestas 2 MW turbine and went on to produce over 17 GWh of electricity over the next 5 years. The unit was decommissioned in 2016 and was later repurposed.
In June 2013, the University of Maine deployed the 20 kW VolturnUS 1:8, a 65 foot (20 m) tall floating turbine prototype that is 1:8th the scale of a 6-MW, 450 foot (140 m) rotor diameter design. VolturnUS 1:8 was the first grid-connected offshore wind turbine deployed in the Americas. The VolturnUS design utilizes a concrete semi-submersible floating hull and a composite materials tower designed to reduce both capital and Operation & Maintenance costs, and to allow local manufacturing. The technology was the result of collaborative research and development conducted by the University of Maine-led DeepCwind Consortium.[needs update]
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