Oil company plans first floating wind turbine
- added June 2, 2008
- 3 responses
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- TyMarshal
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OSLO, Norway - An oil company announced plans Thursday to build next year what it claims will be the world's first full-scale floating wind turbine.
State-controlled StatoilHydro ASA, based in the western port of Stavanger, is the key producer in the offshore oil industry that makes Norway a major petroleum exporter.
The company said the $80 million pilot project combines its offshore oil experience with advanced technology for wind power.
The 2.3 megawatt windmill will be placed about six miles off the coast of Karmoey, near Stavanger on the west coast. StatoilHydro said it has already signed contracts for the construction of the wind turbine and its floating base. The electricity will be sent to land through underwater cables.
Previous ocean windmill projects have been based on towers built onto the seabed near land, rather than floating structures. However, windmills on land or near the coast often draw complaints they spoil the view and disturb wildlife.
Since the buoy is held in place by three anchors with chains, the system could be used in waters as deep as 2,300 feet, the company said in a news release.
StatoilHydro said a 10-foot tall model of the floating unit had already been tested in a wave tank at the Norwegian research institute SINTEF in the city of Trondheim.
The company said it plans to conduct a two-year test with the unit after it is goes on line in late 2009 in hopes of demonstrating that floating wind power is commercially viable.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
State-controlled StatoilHydro ASA, based in the western port of Stavanger, is the key producer in the offshore oil industry that makes Norway a major petroleum exporter.
The company said the $80 million pilot project combines its offshore oil experience with advanced technology for wind power.
The 2.3 megawatt windmill will be placed about six miles off the coast of Karmoey, near Stavanger on the west coast. StatoilHydro said it has already signed contracts for the construction of the wind turbine and its floating base. The electricity will be sent to land through underwater cables.
Previous ocean windmill projects have been based on towers built onto the seabed near land, rather than floating structures. However, windmills on land or near the coast often draw complaints they spoil the view and disturb wildlife.
Since the buoy is held in place by three anchors with chains, the system could be used in waters as deep as 2,300 feet, the company said in a news release.
StatoilHydro said a 10-foot tall model of the floating unit had already been tested in a wave tank at the Norwegian research institute SINTEF in the city of Trondheim.
The company said it plans to conduct a two-year test with the unit after it is goes on line in late 2009 in hopes of demonstrating that floating wind power is commercially viable.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
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I like that this design doesn't seem to make as much of a disturbance to life on the ocean floor.
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- ultravphunter
- 4 months ago
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An oil company is finally doing something right....... but they are still monopolizing the gas price.
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- Fuzzy_Chaos
- 4 months ago
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not them only, the politics applied in the last 8 years did that, mainly
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