Floating offshore wind presents opportunities, challenges

摘要

SOME OF THE PLANNED FLOATING OFFSHORE WIND (FOW) turbines will be as high as the Eiffel Tower, so stability and safe mooring will be a challenge. This is relatively straightforward on land, but it is a greater challenge in deepwater with the relative motions and loads of a floating structure and the rotating generation system. At this stage of a pioneering industry, many different designs are being put forward. It will take some time before the most efficient and economic designs make their way to the front. Various pilot projects are under way, and the industry will learn a lot in the next few years as the results are known.