The luck we have today is that the era of innovation is at street level, and this is why more and more wind farms are more frequent in many landscapes around us. This means that we bet on renewable energies, in this case, wind energy, which generates clean energy that is connected to the electrical grid.
However, the Main problems of wind farms On land they are the deaths caused to birds and the space they occupy, since they are only operational when there is an adequate wind flow, conditioned by the orography of the terrain.
In vast areas of the ocean, where the wind is constant and land space is not used, offshore floating wind farms emerge as an innovative and efficient alternative.
Floating wind farms
This is not a completely new idea, offshore wind farms They already exist, although the concept of floating wind farms is a recent development. Scotland, for example, has opened one of the world’s first floating wind farms, with turbines awaiting installation deeper in the ocean.
This innovative floating wind farm, located 25 km off the coast of Peterhead, Scotland, is designed to generate clean energy for around 20.000 homes. The great advantage is that the turbines can be installed in deep waters, where the wind is stronger and more constant, which increases the energy efficiency of the wind farm.
Norwegian company Statoil, now known as Equinor, is the manufacturer behind these floating platforms, and hopes to see the technology spread to countries with long coastlines, such as Japan, the United Kingdom and the West Coast of the United States.
These floating turbines, apart from their ability to go out to sea, stand out for the capacity of their propellers and their impressive size. Each wind turbine reaches 175 metres in height, with 75-metre propellers, which allows them to take full advantage of the wind speed and generate more energy.
Technological innovations and efficiency
This park is not only innovative in terms of its ability to float, but also in terms of advanced technology. Each turbine is equipped with a advanced control software which automatically regulates the position of the propellers to adapt to wind and wave conditions, thus maximising energy production at all times.
In addition, the turbine bases are ballasted with iron ore to maintain their stability, even at depths of up to 1000 metres. This unique design not only allows for greater efficiency, but also represents a breakthrough in offshore wind farm engineering.
In the long term, this technology is expected to not only reach new areas, but also significantly reduce its costs. Although the initial investment is high – partly funded by the Scottish Government – ​​operating costs are estimated to decrease by 40-50% in the coming decades, making this renewable energy option more cost-effective and competitive.
Challenges and obstacles
One of the biggest challenges of these floating wind farms The cost remains. Investment in technology and installation offshore is considerably higher than for onshore wind farms. The installation of five turbines in Scotland alone cost approximately €223 million, although these costs are expected to decrease as the facilities are expanded and the process is optimised.
Another recurring problem, both on land and at sea, is the impact on birds. The large turbines represent a risk to marine fauna and migratory birds that pass through the area. Environmentalists warn of the possible death of seabirds, although no concrete data has yet been recorded on the impact of this new installation. To mitigate this risk, exhaustive studies are being planned to identify bird routes and minimize the environmental impact.
The future of floating wind farms
Despite the challenges, the potential benefits of floating wind farms are enormous. As well as taking advantage of stronger and more consistent winds, these farms also open the door to exploiting marine areas previously inaccessible due to their depth. In fact, it is estimated that up to 80% of the sites with the highest wind potential are located in deep waters of more than 60 metres, where fixed turbines are not viable.
The Hywind Scotland farm is just the start of a revolution in offshore wind energy. With technological advances and accumulated experience, it is expected that in the future larger scale farms will be developed, with capacities between 500 and 1000 MW. These new projects will allow for further cost reductions and increased competitiveness of this form of renewable energy.
The UK is also committed to becoming a world leader in offshore wind energy, with ambitious plans to increase its renewable energy capacity by 2030, and to pursue innovative projects such as energy storage through lithium batteries, a technology that is already being used in conjunction with floating wind farms.
Floating wind energy not only offers an efficient and clean solution, but also represents a great opportunity for countries with large areas of sea. As technologies are refined, we will be able to see larger and more efficient floating wind farms, contributing significantly to the global energy transition.