Floating wind turbine

A floating wind turbine is a wind turbine that is built into the ocean or larger lakes on a floating foundation. There are a number of projects in various stages of planning. In addition to smaller prototype several floating wind turbines in the multi -megawatt class have already been implemented (end of 2013).

  • 5.1 rotor / nacelle
  • 5.2 Tower

General

In relation to the average income of Onshorewindkraft in Germany with approximately 1,500 full- load hours is the current yield in the North Sea by approximately three times higher ( about 4500 full load hours). In contrast to conventional offshore wind turbines floating wind turbines can be used in much deeper water and use the huge potential area on the sea. In general, the wind conditions with increasing distance coast a little better. Floating wind turbines can be made ​​at the port in series and then towed to the location in the sea, as this has been done, even in windy float. About the environmental impact on marine flora and fauna of offshore wind farms many years of experience have now been collected. There was here no observations that would have demonstrated negative effects on bird life.

Technology

The various concepts differ on the one hand, if a floating structure carrying a single wind turbine or several wind turbines, and the other in the anchoring method (savings Platform ( SP), Tension Leg Platform ( TLP), semi -submersible platform ).

In developing floating wind turbines to draw on the experience of the oil and gas industry with floating oil and gas production platforms.

Individual plants

For individual plants, a single wind turbine on a floating foundation is anchored to the seabed. The plants are equipped with the classic Yaw. They can also be used in waters that freeze heavily in winter.

  • The Hywind project (see picture) has been developed by the Norwegian oil company StatoilHydro. The perpendicular cylindrical float is held under water by three steel cables and anchored with concrete blocks on the seabed. 2009, a prototype of a wind turbine of the type Siemens SWT -2.3- 82 (82 m diameter, 2.3 MW, hub height 65 m, mass: 5300 t) was in Norway at Åmøy Fjord near Stavanger installed and on 8. September 2009 put into operation. So you wanted to gather two years operating experience. The end of 2013, StatoilHydro has announced plans to build the biggest floating wind park in Europe with six wind turbines ( each with 6 MW) off the Scottish coast.
  • Wind float prototype The wind float project was installed in 2011 off the coast of Portugal. Instead of a single cylindrical float, the wind turbine by Vestas 2 MW is supported by three floats.
  • As part of the Goto ocean energy project a floating demonstration project off the coast of belonging to the Gotō Islands Kaba (椛 岛) was built in the Japanese prefecture of Nagasaki. It consists of a floating wind turbine of the type Hybrid saving with 2 MW. The plant started in October 2013. In August 2012, a smaller test system with 100 kW was installed in the region. The project involves the firms Toda, Hitachi, Fuyo Ocean Development & Engineering, the University of Kyoto and the Japanese National Maritime Research Institute (上 技术 安全 研究所, Kaijōgijutsuanzenkenkyūjo ).
  • The Fukushima FORWARD Project is another floating demonstration project off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture. This consists primarily of a floating wind power plant with 2 MW and a floating transformer platform. Later, two more wind turbines are planned with a capacity of about 7 MW. A consortium of Marubeni Corporation ( project integrator ), the University of Tokyo ( technical advisor), Mitsubishi Corporation, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., Japan Marine United Corporation, Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation, Hitachi Ltd., Furukawa Electric Co. Ltd., Shimizu Corporation and Mizuho information & research Institute, Inc. have started the experimental offshore wind farm project in which it was towed a floating wind turbine of two megawatts of production port to anchor location in the vicinity of Fukushima on June 28, 2013. Since November 7, 2013, this wind turbine connected to the grid and feeds power.
  • The Winflo project is to be 2012/2013 implemented ahead of France. Through the center mounting of the tower results in an inherently better statics.
  • The concept Nautica: Nautica Windpower has as downwind with a two -bladed rotor, a passive wind direction, a non-rotating ( thus heavyduty cable ), is characterized by great flexibility and fast and inexpensive mounting out at sea.
  • Schematic diagram of the floating offshore foundation GICON The GICON GmbH has its own solution for a floating foundation structure developed which GICON SOF. There is a special solution of a Tension Leg Platform. When GICON SOF is a steel structure with buoyancy twills, which is anchored by cables on the seabed. This is a rigid concept. Other developers, however, are convinced that only flexible concepts can reduce the costs to the extent required, as for example also the Nautica concept underscores.
  • Blue H headquartered in the Netherlands is planning a 2.4 MW Fly on a deep water dive platform (SDP, Submerged Deepwater Platform) build. A first small prototype has already been tested in the near Brindisi / Italy in the Mediterranean. Installation of the prototype was in December 2007., He was dismantled in late 2008, as the permit had expired. The 2.4 MW plant is to be tested at the same site.
  • The Sway concept was, among others, the Company and major shareholders Sway InOcean in cooperation developed with Shell and Statkraft for ocean depths from 80 to 300 m. The floating body, in the form of an elongated rod should be firmly anchored in accordance with the TLP- principle in the seabed.
  • For several months, the floating prototype SEATWIRL is ahead of Sweden in action, which is equipped with a VAWT rotor.

Concepts for multiple systems

There are also concepts which does not rotate the single wind turbine in the wind, but a great platform to be moved with several wind turbines by the wind pressure. This needs only one anchor point and even a submarine cable to the power dissipation. The concept is also distinguished by the fact that the individual wind turbines on the platform do not shade each other. The orientation of the platform must be corrected if additional failure of one (outer) system or in different directions of wind and ocean currents (tidal ). Thus, the so-called WAKE- loss is avoided, which can be reduced with single units only with difficulty.

  • The MUFOW concept ( Multiple Unit Floating Offshore Wind Farm) by A. Henderson is based on the semi-submersible technology. Here, the large-scale and high-volume lifting body ( tube or conjoined twins pipes) should be below the destructive waves. The " floating " of the construction is ensured by ballast tanks or by additional buoys shaped lifting body. The buoys should be flexibly attached to the platform and can thus avoid the wave forces as a punching bag.
  • The Poseidon concept of the Danish company Floating Power Plant A / S involves the simultaneous production of electricity from wind and wave power. " Poseidon 37 " is a about 37 meters long and 360 ton island of metal parts, which floats on the sea surface and at the same time can produce electricity from wind and wave energy. " Poseidon 37 " has been tested since September 2008 at Vindeby Havmøllepark ( Vindeby wind farm ) off the Danish island of Lolland.
  • The " floating offshore wind Windsea platform" unites three wind turbines on a common platform.

Security of supply: Compensation in Europe

During prolonged, large-scale slowdown can be observed on the European inland, this is across the seas in this form is not the case. The good sites on the seas have higher full-load hours. As a rule, both the wind and the sea depth with increasing distance from the coast increases, which then necessarily requires the use of floating wind farms. Even more important is the differing seasonal electricity production. To the south-west tip of Portugal has the highest yields in the summer, the same applies to the Aegean Sea. Thus the need for backup power plants can be systematically reduced by the site is specifically selected. If it turns out that all of Europe more power is desired from wind in the summer, the wind farm must be expanded before Portugal and the Aegean. Powerful HVDC lines, as for example are already a reality in China, are then provided. This allows the criticism of the lack of security of supply diminish.

Purpose

Floating wind turbines convert wind energy into electricity and can feed the electricity into the public power grid. Given their typically large distance to areas of consumption, applications are also conceivable that use the electricity on site or within walking distance ( coast). Here are applications in focus, which can also be operated with fluctuating energy supply and their products are storable and transportable.

For example:

  • Seawater desalination: Greek researchers led by the University of the Aegean developed the prototype of a floating desalination plant, which, driven from the power grid by a wind turbine, produces drinking water. The 20x20 m large complex called FAEFEDU - Floating Autonomous Environmental Friendly and Efficient Desalination Unit to German about floating autonomous eco-friendly efficient desalination plant is able to desalinate about 70 cubic meters of water per day. It was tested at the port of Iraklia.
  • Called the production of biomethane, also EE- gas
  • The production of methanol ( methanol economy ) or of BTL

Optimization options

In addition to the significantly higher current income, there are a number of optimization possibilities in the main assemblies of floating wind turbines ( platform, tower, rotor / nacelle ), which also improve the economy. To the fullest extent these possibilities apply to the MUFOW concepts, partly also to the other concepts.

Rotor / nacelle

Although the Einflügler inland has been successfully tested, they took the acoustic and optical loads on the occasion, largely on the continued development of Einflüglern ( monopteros (WEA ) ) refrain. Also for Fly this is true, although these were built often. It has the Einflügler advantages: it saves not only two wings, but by the high rotational speed of the rotor is sufficient a smaller gear - and gearless wind turbines, a smaller ring generator, resulting in significant savings copper. Due to strong winds at sea and the worse starting behavior of Einflüglern is of no consequence. Also, playing on the sea acoustic and visual factors a lesser role.

Tower

When using conjoined twins tubes as support for the platform much better ways of bracing / support are given to ensure the static requirements with significantly less material. Since the entire platform rotates in the wind, this support can be built like a Ferris wheel, or tripod also forward.

Logistics

Floating plants can be pre-assembled on land and then transported in a few large assemblies to sea. In sufficiently deep water, the transport of the entire system by means of tugs is possible. At the destination point, only the anchor and the connection is then necessary, which are already prepared in the ideal case. A complex transport of large components, such as long wings may be omitted if the wind turbine manufacturer or supplier has access to a lake or inland port, which is the case with some manufacturers. Then large components can be manufactured in one piece without restrictions due to transport over public roads, unlike the wind turbine of the type Enercon E-126, whose wings are prefabricated in two segments and then assembled on site.

Offshore wind power Oil platform Mitsui & Co. Furukawa Group Mizuho Financial Group Slipstream Irakleia, Cyclades Electrolysis Power-to-Gas Tripod (disambiguation)
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