Multi-Floor Windcatchers To Energize 80,000 Each

Jun, 2021 - By WMR

Standing over 1,000 ft (324 m) tall, the mammoth Windcatcher grid would be able to deploy several smaller turbines over the floating platform.

The Wind Catching Systems (WCS) from Norway has recently made a splendid debut through an array of colossal floating wind turbines, which as per the company can generate 5x the energy generated by world's largest single turbines annually – while decreasing costs enough for being instantly competitive with prices of grid prices. Standing over 1,000 ft (324 m) tall, the mammoth Windcatcher grid would be able to deploy several smaller turbines within an astounded formation over the floating platform fixed to the ocean’s floor with the use of established practices by the industry of gas and oil.

WCS states that just one amongst these arrays, could provide twice swept area compared to the largest traditional wind turbines in the world– the 15 MW Vestas V236 – along with its small rotors are able to perform way better with wind speeds above 40-43 km/h (25-27 mph), where larger turbines are likely to begin pitching the blades to restrict production along with protecting themselves from any damage. The total effect, states WCS, is a boost of 500 % boost within the annual output of energy, with every array making sufficient power for running 80,000 homes in the Europe. Once the installation of floating base is done, majority of the remaining could be done over a deck, without the need of specialized vessels or cranes, where the grid design enables easy access to ongoing maintenance. The arrays are equipped for a service life of 5-decades, compared with the 3-decades of one large turbine.

The firm says that it is ready to begin delivering wind power offshore on introduction at the grid parity – which means at the levelized cost of energy (LCOE, taking into account the capital costs) equivalent or defeating the grid power price. In Norway along with the USA, which presently is at around US$105 / MWh. The US Energy Information Administration presently projects the LCOE weighted capacity of latest assets of offshore wind coming operational in 2026 averaging at $115.04 /MWh, with certain regions able to get that below US$100.