So, we have a number of engineers among regular readers, any care to comment on the likely durability/longevity of water-borne aerial cuisinarts? Perhaps insurance industry readers would care to comment on risk coverage?
Giant floating wind turbines capable of slashing the cost of offshore wind energy and exploiting deepwater areas that boast stronger and more reliable winds could become a reality thanks to a major new clean energy research partnership between the UK and the US.
The UK and US government are expected to sign a new Memorandum of Understanding on ‘Collaboration in Energy Related Fields’ as one of the centrepieces of this week’s Clean Energy Ministerial in London, which will be attended by energy ministers from 23 of the world’s leading eonomies.
The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) revealed today that the first research projects backed by the new bilateral agreement will be efforts to develop large scale floating wind turbines.
“The UK-US collaboration on floating wind will ensure that both countries align our resources to maximise the impact for both countries,” DECC said in a statement. “It will also enable the sharing of best practice and expertise. Ultimately it is hoped that this approach will result in more cost effective, higher yield floating wind technologies being developed.”
UK Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey said there was a strong case for accelerating the development of floating turbines.
“Floating wind turbines will allow us to exploit more of the our wind resource, potentially more cheaply,” he said in a statement. “Turbines will be able to locate in ever deeper waters where the wind is stronger but without the expense of foundations down to the seabed or having to undertake major repairs out at sea.
“The UK and US are both making funding available for this technology and we’re determined to work together to capitalise on this shared intent.”
Why not just recycle Aircraft Carriers park them close to where power is needed throw a few Nuclear reactors in each ship could be parked off any large city requiring power.
Or maybe we could revert the bronze age where our power requirements were heat and transportation. Horses, oxen and wood could do it all. I am sure that would be acceptable to the warmers. I love the term “water-borne aerial cuisinarts”. Very accurate and descriptive. The issues they are having with the transmissions draining dry after prolonged disuse is a major life shortening factor for land based turbines. For ocean units, the wave action could generate enough energy to drive an oil circulating pump to prevent this problem. The salt air could play havoc on the turbines and the generators but with proper sealing that could be overcome. The biggest problem is the distribution of the power generated. There are major issues with land based units that would only be made worse on the ocean. Then they would only be killing sea birds and ducks. I think the enviros are missing out on a big selling point for turbines. If the birds killed were processed and distributed to needy families it could be sold as a means to benefit the world’s poor.
No, no I can’t see anything that could possibly go wrong…/sarc
Maybe they should read about the Spanish Armada. Joke:
What do you call a floating wind turbine on a windy day?
A wave energy generator!
Murphy is going to have the time of his mythical life. This is so going to work…