Wind Power

GALWAY, IRELAND - 15th September 2009 - The world’s first full-scale floating wind turbine, StatoilHydro’s ‘Hywind,’ took to the high seas last week for a two-year trial that will lead to wind turbines that can be deployed in much deeper waters than currently possible.

Is the future of wind power floating off the Norwegian coast? Floating wind towers may someday allow turbines to be installed far offshore out of view from land, outside shipping lanes and where ocean winds are strongest. The primary intention is not to derive revenues from the power generated by Hywind, but to test how wind and waves affect the structure. Once these answers have been obtained, StatoilHydro can work on commercialising the concept. The goal is to reduce costs so that floating wind power can compete in the energy market.

The core expertise acquired by StatoilHydro as a leading operator of offshore oil and gas fields has played a very important part in the development of the Hywind concept.

StatoilHydro ASA from Stavanger, Norway said the 2.3-megawatt Hywind turbine will be located 10 kilometres off the Norwegian coast, southwest of Karmoy island. Hywind is designed to be suitable for installation in water depths between 120-700 m, which could open up for many new possibilities within offshore wind turbine technology. Existing offshore turbines are mounted firmly on the seabed. However, foundations become very expensive at water depths of more than 30-50 m. This might limit the large scale exploitation of offshore wind power particularly in countries with little or now shallow water areas near the coast line.

The company claimed that Hywind can be located in waters ranging from 100 metres to 700 metres deep. Delivered on schedule and within budget, StatoilHydro is investing 39 million euros ($57 million) in the project, with another 7 million euros ($10.2 million) provided by Enova Systems Incorporated.

 “Hywind could open for new opportunities for exploitation of offshore wind power, as the turbines could be placed much more freely than before”, says Henrik Stiesdal, CTO of the Siemens Wind Power Business Unit.

 The Hywind project was developed by StatoilHydro, and Siemens supplied the SWT-2.3 MW wind turbine with a rotor diameter of 82 meters. Over the next two years the floating wind turbine will be tested to provide a thorough analysis of this innovative concept. The Hywind turbine will be connected to the local grid and is expected to start producing power in mid-July.

“Floating wind power remains an immature technology, and the road to commercialization and full-scale construction of wind farms will be long,” said company spokesperson Margareth Ovrum.  “Our goal with the Hywind pilot to test how wind and waves affect the structure, learn how the operating concept can be optimized and identify technology gaps.”