Development of offshore wind farms has been restricted to places
where turbines can be attached to the sea bed. But earlier this
week, Siemens and energy company StatoilHydro installed what
they call the first large-scale floating turbine. The
installation is off the coast of Norway, and testing is expected
to last for two years. The Hywind turbine will still have a
ballast that is tied to the sea floor with cables. Wires will
transfer the electricity produced to the mainland grid starting
in July. If successful, the project could open up offshore wind
to countries that don't have relatively shallow waters of 100
feet to 165 feet off their coasts. The Hywind is suitable for
depths of about 400 feet to more than 2,200 feet. "Hywind could
open...new opportunities for exploitation of offshore wind
power, as the turbines could be placed much more freely than
before," Henrik Stiesdal, chief technology of the Siemens' Wind
Power business unit, said in a statement. The turbine in Norway
will be 7.4 miles offshore wh