T-Omega's pyramid-based floating wind turbines are designed with the common-sense focus of keeping the cost of offshore wind down to an absolute minimum.
The idea is neat and simple: get rid of the large central pole that offshore turbines have inherited from land-based units. A single central tower will only stay upright, reasons T-Omega, if you've got about four tons under the water for every one ton above the water. And given that wind power needs to scale up to become efficient and cost-competitive, that means an enormous amount of weight, a correspondingly high materials bill, and all manner of logistical issues around manufacturing, installation and maintenance.
T-Omega's idea replaces the massive single-sided pinwheel generators of traditional designs with a double-sided axle supported at both ends, and instead of a single tower reaching down to the waterline, you get four diagonal supports leading down to what's effectively a pyramid base, floated at its four corners. This is anchored to the sea bed with a bit of slack, allowing the whole thing to float around in response to changes in wind direction, passively orienting itself toward the wind at all times.
The benefits: vastly reduced upfront cost, thanks to hugely reduced materials, super-simple manufacturing and deployment without any need for specialized facilities, and a wind turbine so easy to install and unhook that you can just tow them back to a dock for maintenance. That vastly reduces operating costs, since you don't need massive crane ships and the like to get out there and fix things.
The company's prototype was launched successfully off New Bedford, Massachusetts, where it will remain for an unspecified duration for evaluation.
Comments