World’s first floating wind farm goes online in Scotland

Image: Statoil official website

The world’s first floating wind farm has been set up offshore at Peterhead in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The 30-megawatt wind farm will power about 20,000 households.

Designated as the “Hywind” project under the energy company Statoil and its partner Masdar Abu Dhabi Future Energy Co., its construction paves the way to harnessing the strong winds generated over deep oceans, as a source of green energy.

Offshore wind technology had been hampered by the engineering challenges of constructing a floating wind turbine.

According to a Statoil statement, existing fixed turbines were only best for water depths of 20 to 50 meters. The new floating design could go for waters 100 meters in depth or more.

The pilot park covers around 4 square kilometers. The floating wind turbines will be placed in water of varying depth between 95 and 120 meters. Average wind speed in the designated area has been recorded to be around 10 meters per second.

The turbines will be kept upright and in place by a special ballast-stabilized system. Then it will be further secured by an anchor on the seabed.

Success of this pilot project would open more options for sources of renewable energy. Island nations like the Philippines could greatly benefit from the same technology, paving the way to a carbon-free energy economy. JB

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpMOP5ogWWA

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