GEAR TALK - Floating turbine technology for generating power
8 January 2010
Floating turbine technology is considered to be the ‘holy grail’ of harnessing ocean wind power, by many in the industry.
Recently, a Norwegian energy company started producing electricity with the very first fully functional floating turbine – called Hywind and developed by StatoilHydro.
Shortly after, Blue H USA also jumped on the bandwagon, announcing their application to the US Army Corps of Engineers to install a floating test platform near Martha’s Vineyard.
Although harbouring close similarities, the Blue H system would be built for waters 30 and 300 metres deep, whereas the Hywind turbine could be imbedded 120 to 700 metres deep.
Blue H has already positioned a pilot unit off Italy’s coast and anticipates installing their very first commercial unit there next year.
Both are fundamental technologies in moving wind energy projects further out to sea.
Click here to read more about the floating turbine technology.
