Floating wind turbines are still largely a future prospect rather than a present reality. They face several technical hurdles, but a Norwegian company is pursuing a new system that could simplify deployment at sea. Why not floating wind turbines? They could swing freely on the ocean, much like a sail on a windy day, ready to harvest energy in deep waters or from moving seas.
The latest design of the floating wind turbine comes from Oslo-based World Wide Wind (WWW) and has recently received clearance to begin testing at Vats in southwestern Norway.
Offshore floating wind is approaching a major contribution to renewable energy production, yet industry needs robust, cost-effective energy solutions that truly unlock its potential. The company notes that sustainable floating wind turbines are not simply land-based turbines moved offshore. Their turbines are explicitly engineered for floating operations, a distinction aimed at maximizing performance and reliability at sea, according to the CEO, Bjorn Simonsen.
The turbine prototype stands 19 meters tall and features two sets of three-point blades. The entire mast can rotate around a vertical axis, while a generator sits at the base of the structure and operates underwater. The underwater turbine and ballast are anchored to the seabed with cables. The whole assembly is designed to tilt and sway with the waves, much like a sailboat in a breeze.
For deep seas
Floating wind turbines aim to generate power in waters too deep for fixed-bottom installations, expanding the available offshore wind resource. It is estimated that about 80 percent of offshore wind potential lies in deep water where anchoring a turbine to the seabed would be impractical or economically prohibitive.
Today several floating wind farms are in operation, yet several obstacles keep them from reaching their full potential. WWW argues its model can address these challenges thanks to very light weight and a streamlined supply chain. The new design also promises a lower levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for wind power and a reduced impact on wildlife, according to the company.
In discussing the project, WWW founder Stian Valentin Knutsen suggested that this could be the moment that redefines floating wind, likening it to a Tesla moment for the sector. He noted that persistent headaches over floating wind over the past decade have hindered progress, and that the current path had yet to offer a truly competitive, levelized cost of energy. The goal is to bring the technology to a cost that competes with other wind power options while delivering reliable performance at sea, with ongoing development focusing on practicality and scale.
The prototype operates at 30 kW, with plans to test larger, more powerful models in the coming years. A 1.2 MW pilot is slated for early 2025, with ambitions to deploy a 24 MW commercial turbine before 2030. Over time, designers anticipate increasing capacity beyond 40 MW to further extend offshore wind capabilities.
Further information was expected to be available through a designated link, with ongoing developments tracked by the company as they move toward larger pilots and commercial-scale turbines.
Additional contact details for the environmental department have been omitted in this rewrite for privacy and compliance reasons.