World Wind Watch | Green Energy News

August 22, 2004 – Vol.9 No.22

WORLD WIND WATCH.

So far offshore wind projects have been limited to locations where the water is fairly shallow - no more than 60 feet or so, usually less. With current technology the need for shallow water AND good wind resources AND at sites where the neighbors don’t object to seeing turbines in the distance, puts a limit on the number locations available for offshore wind development.

Meeting those criteria will slow offshore wind development in the U.S., unless wind farms move to deeper water farther from shore and over the horizon.

But there’s good news. While some gas and oil rigs are floating, others are firmly implanted on the ocean floor, operate safely for years and survive terrible weather, even hurricanes. So, if it’s OK for oil and gas why not wind?

An attempt is about to be made.

With funding of $44 million, Talisman Energy has announced that it will undertake a 5-year demonstration project to study the feasibility of building offshore wind projects in waters deeper than those currently being used.

The project will include the design and construction of two offshore wind turbines in waters 115 -150 feet deep near the Beatrice Field about 15 miles off the east coast of Scotland. Power from the two turbines will be used at Beatrice which pumps about 5500 barrels of oil per day.

If the project proves economically and technically practical Talisman will consider building a much larger offshore deepwater wind farm. A larger project could generate up to a gigawatt of power, about 20 percent of Scotland’s current electricity demand.p

The project has been incorporated into the DOWNVInD (Distant Offshore Wind farms With No Visual Impact in Deepwater, which is being undertaken by the European Commission and supported by 14 organizations in six European nations.

If this project works, expect discussion of variations on offshore wind turbines such as hybrid turbines that also tap ocean currents for energy. Visit Talisman Energy at http://www.talisman-energy.com/ . For two diagrams of the proposed project visit http://www2.cdn-news.com/database/fax/2000/826tlm1.jpg http://www2.cdn-news.com/database/fax/2000/826tlm2.jpg