Siemens and StatoilHydro have installed what they say is the world’s first large-scale floating turbine. The installation off the coast of Norway will undergo testing for two years.
To date, wind turbinrs could only be installed in relatively shallow offshore locations – up to about 50 metres deep. The floating wind turbines, which have a ballast that is tied to the sea floor with cables, can be installed in waters up to about 670 metres deep.
The turbine off Norway will be about 12 kilometres offshore where the water is 220 metres deep. It is a utility-scale turbine able to generate 2.3 megawatts of electricity.
Source: CNet
