In cooperation with the Norwegian technology firm Smartmotor AS, Sway has developed the concept with a view towards reducing turbine weight and the number of moving parts, as well as the use of a gearless generator system. Overall, the concept will result in higher energy generation for offshore wind power, and thus also lower operating costs. As many as 35-40 engineers have taken part in the work to develop the concept that will now undergo testing. The public corporation Enova SF, whose aim is to promote the transition to environmentally friendly energy use and energy production in Norway, has granted USD 23 million to demonstrate the new wind turbine prototype.
"It is milestone in the efforts to develop the future's wind power," Norway's energy minister Terje Riis-Johansen said in a statement.
Another Norwegian pioneering project is the Hywind project on the west coast of Norway. Hywind is the world’s first full-scale floating wind turbine. Statoil will test the wind turbine over a two-year period. The project is a pilot for the Hywind concept, which has been developed by Statoil.
The Hywind concept combines known technologies in a completely new setting and opens up the possibility for capturing wind energy in deep-water environments. The floating structure consists of a steel cylinder filled with a ballast of water and rocks. It extends 100 metres beneath the sea’s surface and is attached to the seabed by a three-point mooring spread.
The turbine itself was manufactured by Siemens. Technip built the floater and was responsible for the installation work offshore. Nexans Norway laid the submarine power line. This comes ashore near Skudeneshavn at the southern end of Karmøy, where local grid operator Haugaland Kraft operates a receiving station.
The primary intention is not to derive revenues from the power generated by Hywind, but to test how wind and waves affect the structure. Once these answers have been obtained, Statoil can work on commercialising the concept. The goal is to reduce costs so that floating wind power can compete in the energy market.
The core expertise acquired by Statoil as a leading operator of offshore oil and gas fields has played a very important part in the development of the Hywind concept.
This expertise, combined with the group’s financial strength and innovative ability, puts Statoil in a good position to develop this project. Statoil is investing around NOK 400 million in the construction and further development of the pilot, and in research and development related to the wind turbine concept. The public corporation Enova SF, whose aim is to promote the transition to environmentally friendly energy use and energy production in Norway, has granted NOK 59 million in support for the project.
The wind turbine can be placed at ocean depths of between 120 and 700 metres.
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