A Floating offshore wind turbine can be defined as a turbine mounted on a floating structure, used to generate electricity from strong ocean winds where fixed foundation turbines are not possible. Floating wind turbines are considered third-generation offshore wind farms, with a high potential to generate renewable energy from deep water.

Floating offshore wind consists of massive blades, a floating platform, a Mooring line, and Electrical Cables. This innovative windmill at sea floats on specially designed platforms anchored by specialised mooring systems. The electricity generated is transmitted through underwater electrical cables to shore, powering homes and businesses.

Floating wind turbines offer advantages such as reduced visual impact and feasibility in areas with limited shallow waters. The key difference between fixed and floating turbines lies in the foundation, with fixed turbines anchored deep into the seabed and floating turbines resting on buoyant platforms.

In this blog, we’ll understand the concept of floating turbines and how it works. Also, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of floating offshore wind compared to onshore wind and the future predictions for floating offshore wind projects.

What is a Floating Offshore Wind Turbine?

Floating offshore wind turbines (FOWTs) are buoyant structures made of steel, concrete, or a hybrid. These platforms are designed with stability, resemble giant buoys or spar buoys, and support the wind turbine itself. They are a technological marvel that unlocks wind energy potential in deep ocean waters, withstanding harsh weather conditions like storms and high waves.

FOWT operates with the help of a mooring system. This intricate network of heavy-duty anchor lines tethers the platform to anchors firmly embedded in the seabed. The design allows the platform to bob with the waves and currents while minimising excessive tilting or swaying. This controlled movement ensures the turbine blades remain in the optimal position to capture offshore wind power efficiently.

In 2024, a total of 232MW capacity of floating wind energy is currently operational. The floating wind energy forecast shows that 18.9 GW of floating wind farms are expected to be constructed around the world by 2030 and 264 GW by 2050.

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How Does a Floating Offshore Wind Turbine Work?

Floating offshore wind turbines harness wind energy through a combination of aerodynamic and electromagnetic principles. The towering structures feature long, airfoil-shaped blades strategically positioned to capture the kinetic energy of moving wind. As wind strikes the blades, it creates lift, causing them to rotate around a horizontal axis. This rotational motion is then transmitted through a driveshaft within the turbine's nacelle (housing atop the tower).

The key to electricity generation lies within the nacelle. Here, the high-speed rotation of the drive shaft is coupled to a generator. This generator utilises the principles of electromagnetic induction, where a moving conductor (the driveshaft) within a magnetic field (created by electromagnets within the generator) induces an electrical current. The speed of the driveshaft rotation directly affects the amount of electricity produced, highlighting the importance of maintaining optimal blade orientation for efficient wind capture.

For Floating turbines, the electricity travels directly through underwater cables from the turbine to the offshore substation, bypassing the internal network within the tower. This substation transforms the voltage to a higher level for more efficient transmission over longer distances. Finally, subsea cables carry the high-voltage electricity towards the mainland, where it reaches an onshore substation for integration into the national grid.

Read: Floating Wind Farms: What Is It and How Does It Work? Explained

Pros and Cons of Floating Offshore Wind Turbines

Floating offshore wind turbines offer a promising solution for harnessing offshore wind energy in deep waters, but like any technology, they come with both advantages and disadvantages. Here's a breakdown based on the reference and additional insights:

Pros

1. Access Deep Waters: Unlike fixed-foundation turbines limited to shallow waters, floating platforms unlock vast areas with stronger, more consistent winds, leading to potentially higher energy production.
2. Reduced Visual Impact: By positioning wind farms further offshore, the visual impact on coastlines is minimised, potentially addressing aesthetic concerns.
3. Open Areas for Development: Countries with limited shallow water areas or steep coastlines can now explore offshore wind energy through floating technology.
4. Potentially Lower Environmental Impact: While traditional offshore wind farm installation can disrupt the seabed, floating wind turbines may have a smaller footprint due to the mooring system, potentially minimising the impact on marine life.
5. Compatibility with Existing Technology: The wind turbines used on floating platforms are largely similar to those used in traditional setups, allowing for easier integration of existing technology and expertise.

Cons

1. Higher Costs: Developing and deploying a floating wind mill can be more expensive compared to fixed-foundation systems, due to the complexity of platform design, mooring systems, and installation processes.
2. Uncertain Engineering: While the technology is evolving, there's still a lack of long-term data on the performance and durability of floating platforms in real-world ocean conditions.
3. Environmental Concerns: Though potentially lower than fixed-foundation systems, the impact of mooring systems and underwater cables on marine life needs further study.
4. Maintenance Challenges: Accessing and maintaining floating turbines in deep waters can be more complex and expensive compared to onshore or near-shore wind farms.

Floating Wind Turbine Test, Prototypes, And Designs

Various prototypes and test projects helped the growth of floating offshore wind technology from the concept to the reality. Here are some of the floating wind turbine tests, prototypes and designs:

Seawind Ocean Technology: Acquired technology behind the world's first floating wind turbine installed in 2007, a two-bladed design with a teetering hub eliminating blade pitch control mechanisms.

Eolink: French company's design utilises a single-point mooring system with a four-mast pyramidal structure for better blade clearance and stress distribution.

Ideol: Developed a ring-shaped floating foundation with a central opening to optimise stability and reduce floater oscillations. Their 2 MW floating wind turbine off France achieved a 95% availability and 66% capacity factor in February 2020.

VolturnUS: North America's first floating grid-connected wind turbine utilises a concrete semi-submersible hull and a composite materials tower for reduced costs.

WindFloat: Designed by Principle Power, this floating foundation features a tri-column triangular platform with a secondary hull-trim system for maintaining an even keel during operation.

TetraSpar: An open-source project with a tension leg platform design using replaceable pressurised tanks.

DeepWind: Focuses on developing and testing economical floating Vertical Axis Wind Turbines (VAWTs) up to 20 MW.

Flowocean: The Swedish technology company's FLOW design combines Tension Leg Platform (TLP) and Semi-Submersible concepts for a cost-effective solution with two wind turbines on one platform.

SeaTwirl: Develops floating VAWTs with the potential to store energy in a flywheel for continuous offshore wind power generation even during windless periods.

Read: Hywind Tampen: World’s First Floating Offshore Wind Farm

Offshore Floating Wind Turbine Future Predictions

Analysts predict a significant shift towards floating wind energy with Europe being the leader, despite its current higher cost compared to fixed-bottom turbines. DNV forecasts a dramatic drop in the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) for floating wind farms by 2050, reaching a potential EUR 43/MWh. This translates to a staggering 74% decrease by 2035 compared to 2022 levels.

Similar predictions suggest an LCOE drop to EUR 50/MWh by 2040. Advancements in manufacturing, platform design, and installation are expected to be the driving forces behind this cost reduction, making floating wind farms a more competitive green energy solution in the future.

Technology will also play a crucial role in the future of floating wind turbines. The exploration of diverse platform designs promises increased efficiency. One example is Hexicon's TwinWind design with two turbines on one foundation, potentially lowering LCOE compared to single-turbine systems.

Regionally, Europe is currently at the forefront with the most operational floating offshore wind capacity (208 MW) and the largest forecasted capacity entering construction by 2035 (17.9 GW). And, South Korea emerges as a major player with the highest forecasted capacity entering construction by 2035 (8.6 GW), followed by the US (5 GW).

Major Floating Offshore Wind Turbine Manufacturers 

Haliade-X by General Electric

Let’s explore the companies that are developing innovative turbines specifically designed to withstand the challenges of deep ocean environments. Here are three of the top floating offshore wind turbine manufacturers:

Siemens Gamesa (Spain): A leading manufacturer also developing floating offshore wind turbines. They partner with companies like RWE and EDP Renewables for floating wind farm projects.

Vestas Wind Systems (Denmark): Another major player in wind turbines, Vestas is working on floating offshore wind turbines as well. They've partnered with Shell to develop a project off the coast of Portugal.

General Electric (USA): This diversified company is involved in floating offshore wind turbines. They've developed a prototype currently being tested off the coast of Norway.

Conclusion

Floating offshore wind turbines are revolutionising clean energy production in deep ocean waters, where traditional fixed-foundation turbines are impractical. These innovative structures utilise floating platforms securely anchored by mooring lines to capture offshore wind energy through rotating blades. Despite initial challenges like higher costs and technical complexities, floating wind offers significant advantages. Access to stronger, more consistent wind speeds in deep waters translates to increased energy production, while the reduced visual impact makes them more aesthetically pleasing. With continuous advancements in design and cost reduction, coupled with positive predictions for growth, particularly in Europe, South Korea, and the US, floating wind energy is poised to become a major player in harnessing the vast wind resources of our oceans.

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