Is the future of wind power floating off the Norwegian coast? The world’s first full-scale floating wind turbine – StatoilHydro’s Hywind pilot – was officially launched yesterday in the North Sea.  Floating wind towers may someday allow turbines to be installed far offshore out of view from land, outside shipping lanes and where ocean winds are strongest.

Hywind is a 2.3-megawatt wind turbine installed on a traditional floater of the kind previously used as production platforms and offshore loading in the oil drilling business.  The turbine was manufactured by the Siemens Wind Power in Denmark, while France’s Technip built the floater and Nexans produced and laid the power cable to land.

The project is an example of how StatoilHydro’s long experience in the offshore oil and gas business can be applied to the burgeoning renewable energy market.  StatoilHydro is investing about NOK 340 million in the project, with Enova providing NOK 59 million. Enova is a state-owned company which promotes environment-friendly changes to energy production and use in Norway.

Following assembly in the Amoy Fjord near Stavanger, the Hywind pilot was towed in June to a location 10 kilometers south-west of Karmoy island for a two-year testing period.

“Floating wind power remains an immature technology, and the road to commercialization and full-scale construction of wind farms will be long,” said company spokesperson Margareth Ovrum.  “Our goal with the Hywind pilot to test how wind and waves affect the structure, learn how the operating concept can be optimized and identify technology gaps.”

The tower which is 65 meters high, supports rotors 80 meters in diameter, has a platform draught of 100 meters, and is attached to the seabed by a three-point mooring spread.  Hywind is designed for waters with depths of 120-700 meters.

The company states that no serious health, safety or environmental incidents have occurred during Hywind’s development.

via: StatoilHydro press release related: previous post on Hywind