Floating Wind Turbines May Provide More Efficient Wind Power: Wind Energy: Eco20/20

Floating Wind Turbines May Provide More Efficient Wind Power

Many individuals are agreeing now that green energy is the way to go. Some of these individuals even recognize the electric potential of harnessing the wind. Some of these people, however, feel that wind turbines are aesthetically unappealing. The scientific response: put the wind turbines in the ocean, off the shore, out of sight.

Near Shore Wind Turbines

Wind turbines located near the shore, also known as deep-water turbines because they are supported by the ocean floor much like an oil rig, are being dismissed. There are several reasons for this. One reason is that the turbines have been found to disrupt the natural migration patterns of birds. Another reason is that they are still visible from the coast. Yet another reason is that the rigs tend to block the waterways that fishing boats, cargo barges and other water craft. The main reason deep water turbines have been largely dismissed, however, is that wind supply is neither steady nor large enough to produce a sustainable green energy supply.

Off Shore Wind Turbines

Floating wind turbines, when located over twelve miles off shore, have been found to produce more electricity. The main reason that floating wind turbines produce more electricity is because the wind supply is steadier, and often has higher velocity at sea than on or near the shore line. These floating wind turbines are more widely accepted than wind turbines along the ocean shore because they are mainly out of the way of the natural migration lines of most birds. They are also generally more accepted because they are free-floating, and fish and other marine wildlife is less likely to get caught in the underwater support structure. These floating wind turbines, when located so far off shore, are also less likely to block major waterways. This will maintain the food supply provided by fishing, shrimping and other harvesting of marine-based food supply sources. This will also help maintain the economy because if supply drops, demand and price will increase.

Economics

The economic feasibility of off shore wind turbines or floating wind turbines has already been proved by their oil harvesting counterparts. Oil rigs have proven to be highly stable and have a long-term usage. There is one difference, however, between oil rigs and floating wind turbines. These wind turbines most be buoyant enough to be able to resist waves and changes in ocean currents, whereas oil rigs are secured to the ocean floor.

The Future of Floating Wind Turbines is Now

Already, the United States has plans in place to construct the first-ever floating turbine wind farm. The government is looking for contract buyers who will support a farm consisting of twenty-five floating wind turbines on a single electricity grid off the coast of Maine. These contracts will be effective for twenty years. Proposals for contracts must be submitted by May of 2011. This means that plans are already in place and the content and structure of the farms is already planned. All that remains is construction and, hopefully, a great harvest of energy from the wind.

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