US Energy Secretary Steven Chu and his British counterpart Edward Davey are set to announce
a major collaboration between the two nations to develop new
floating wind turbine
technology. Traditional offshore wind turbines are drilled into the
ocean floor, so they can only be built where waters are shallow enough
to reach the bottom. Developing floating wind turbines would enable
nations to tap into winds that are located in deeper waters. Under the
agreement, each country will offer millions of dollars to contractors
that produce demonstration projects.
Most offshore wind farms are currently limited to parts of the ocean
that are less than 200 feet deep. But wind speeds are consistently
stronger above deeper waters. “Turbines will be able to locate in ever
deeper waters where the wind is stronger but without the expense of
foundation down to the seabed or having to undertake major repairs out
at sea,” British Energy Secretary Edward Davey said in a statement. The
technology shouldn’t be that far off, though; Norway has already
launched a demonstration in the North Sea, and Portugal is working on a
floating turbine in the Atlantic.
Another potential benefit to developing floating wind turbines is
that the structures could be towed back to shore for repairs, instead of
having to carry out expensive repair work in the ocean.
According to Bloomberg, Britain has about one-third of the potential sites for offshore wind farms in Europe, which is more than any other nation.
Photos by
Andy Dingley and
Ashley Dace
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