How do wind turbines fare in the open ocean as opposed to a more protected area?
The open ocean is really rough – just read The Perfect Storm. There are wind turbines in Blithe Harbor near England that are exposed to full force of the waves, so that’s not to say you can’t do it. In Europe most wind developments are in locations with some protection from open waves. How fast is the technology evolving? Turbines are getting larger for sure. The Germans now have a 4 MW rotor. But there are limits on size; the “square cubed law” dictates that power goes up as a square of the diameter and the weight goes up as the cube of the diameter, so the required size quickly becomes unsustainable. How tall were the towers in the picture in your presentation? Typically at least 60 meters high – conceivably 80 or 90 meters. You can have lower towers in the water than on land as there is less windshear. As you get closer to the surface the wind dies down, and you obviously don’t want to hit the water or anyone below the tower. What’s optimal placement? Turbines can’t be right next to
