In the race for bigger offshore wind turbines, what's under the water can be just as much trouble as what's above.
Turbine makers are building giant machines that must withstand powerful storms in the inhospitable waters of the North Sea -- but they will also need to spend money on sturdy foundations, specialized installations and ships that can nail the turbines to the ocean floor at depths of 115 feet.
But what if such turbines with rotors that sweep three football fields could just be towed out to sea and simply tethered to the bottom of the ocean at virtually any depth, kept steady amid the waves by a flotation device? As far-fetched as it may sound, giant floating wind turbines will carve their own niche in the offshore wind sector if they can provide access to locations with excellent wind conditions at cheaper prices, industry experts say.
To read the full, original article click on this link: Floating Wind Turbines Set to Conquer Deep Ocean: Scientific American
