Technology & Steel Application - News

Posted on 10 Nov 2010

Prototype floating wind turbine consumes German plate

A consortium involving Norwegian energy company Statoil, German engineering group Siemens and German steelmaker Salzgitter is testing a prototype for a floating wind turbine in the North Sea.

Salzgitter’s Ilsenburger Grobblech supplied the plate for the tower, made of three types of S355 grade steel.

So far wind towers mounted on the sea bed are confined to maximum depths of 100 metres, so Statoil and Siemens have developed technology for floating units, named Hywind, Steel Business Briefing learns from Salzgitter. Twelve kilometres off the Norwegian coast, the partners have installed what they claim is the first floating wind power unit in the multi-megawatt class.

 

It consists of a 65 metre long tower with an 85m diameter rotor above the water’s surface, a floating foundation of steel and concrete, and a 120m long steel pipe to adjust the balance. The results from the test phase will be assessed at the end of next year, Salzgitter comments.

 

“The… intention is… 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,” Statoil says.