OFFSHORE WIND: THE UNTAPPED POTENTIAL

Wind turbine technology has become much more cost effective over the past decade and with it, more reliable. The average turbine generating capacity has also increased, with turbines installed in 2013 averaging 1.87 MW of capacity. Research has developed longer, lighter rotor blades, taller towers, more reliable drivetrains and improved control systems.

This has created a “boom” towards wind investment. To put this in perspective, since 2012, the Great Lakes region has had only two fossil fuel plants come online. During the same period we have seen 21 wind farms and 8 plants using other renewable sources such as solar energy and sustainable-harvested biomass fuel come online.

The state of New Jersey which has become a solar leader in the United States is now turning its sights on another wind generation project type that up until now has remained a vastly untapped potential. (Offshore wind energy). The President has recently announced that they are going to auction off leases for the New Jersey Wind Energy Area which could total up to more than 3,400 megawatts when fully built out. This will further New Jersey’s push to be at the forefront of renewable technology.

     WINDS BIGGEST PROBLEM

Over the past 20 years we have developed many new technologies that have become commercially viable products. However, the biggest issue with wind farms is the amount of land needed to produce a viable amount of energy. The alternative has been offshore wind turbines but these farms are usually located so far from shore and the water is so deep that the steel piles or lattice structures fixed to the seabed are not a practical foundation.

Now, several U.S. companies are developing several innovative floating offshore wind platforms. These platforms are designed for use in deep waters. From semi-submersibles to improved buoy technology, these innovations are making offshore wind a more viable option.

These developments are intended to improve system designs, as well as redesign other processes aimed at improving the overall performance and reliability while reducing the costs of offshore wind systems.

While this form of windfarm is still in its infancy, it’s simply another example of how advanced technology is finding better ways for our country to produce innovative renewable energy.

Matt Helland
Sr VP of Client Relations

Sources:
http://www.energy.gov
http://earthtechling.com
http://cleantechnica.com
http://www.energy.gov/eere/wind/offshore-wind-research-and-development