ETI looks for partners on £25m ‘floating wind turbine’ demonstrator
Green innovation news – by GreenWise staff
25th October 2011
A project demonstrating how floating structures for wind turbines could bring down the cost of offshore wind by opening up new areas off the coast of the UK to renewable energy generation is looking for partners.
The
Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) announced today that it is seeking out project partners on its £25 million
offshore wind floating system demonstration project. The aim of the project is to show how 'floating’ turbines placed near-to-shore, where higher wind speeds can be accessed, can bring down the cost of electricity generation. It is thought this type of floating structure would be particularly suitable off the west coast of Britain.
"Our studies have shown that access to high wind areas which are close to shore should be an attractive
investment compared to some existing UK sites which are further from the coast in areas of lower wind," said ETI chief executive Dr David Clarke, said. "We also expect there is likely to be a considerable global market for floating wind turbines which can be developed in the UK."
The UK has some of the best offshore wind resources in Europe, but exploiting this natural resource is costly, especially in deeper waters. Although large, floating turbines would carry high capital costs, longer-term they could bring down the cost of offshore wind generation and maintenance, the ETI said.
"Offshore wind must be affordable and cost competitive with alternatives," said Dr Clarke. "We see floating turbine
technology being strategically important to both the UK’s energy supply and its industrial strategy."
Project specificationsThe ETI said the demonstration project will see the design, construction and installation of a floating system at a near shore site where wind speeds will reach up to about 10 metres per second in water between 60 and 100 metres deep. It will be up and running by 2016 and operate for between two and 10 years. It will analyse electricity generation, maintenance costs without using specially designed vessels and predicted technical and economic performance.
The ETI issued a 'Request for Proposals’ today to interested partners, which must notify their interest to submit a proposal by January 6 2012. Participants will be chosen only if they can provide an offshore wind turbine in the five megawatt (MW) to 7MW range that can be installed on the foundation.
For more details visit the ETI website.
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