floating foundation wind turbine glosten

The competition now between the designs in development is to create stable designs of the lightest possible weight and to push the projected cost advantage over fixed foundations to even shallower waters of 30 m. With the current designs in development, floating foundations would become more cost effective than fixed-jacket foundations on the sea floor at sites somewhere between 40 m and 50 m deep, says Hurley. The best wind sites in shallower waters are soon to be taken, so if offshore wind continues to prove a cost-competitive renewable energy source, it will move to deeper waters.” “There are immense wind resources in water depths greater than 50 meters,” explains Hurley, “plus they have the benefit of higher wind quality and can be further from shore out of view. The drivers for the development are economics and opportunity. Constructors will need a transport and installation system to guarantee stability and safety of the platform during deployment, according to Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, a nonprofit offshore wind and tidal energy research center in Blyth, England.

The tension leg platform is a lightweight and stable floating system once installed, but it is not stable without a mooring system connected.

The designs are referred to as “tension leg platforms” for the way anchoring cables and the platforms’ semibuoyant, submerged foundations are held in tension to stabilize the foundations, turbines and rotors standing high above the open sea. Three designs are moving through tests, including validation of their construction schemes.

Floating foundation wind turbine glosten