Construction work of world’s largest floating wind farm in the coast of Scotland is begin

It is now set to begin off the construction work of world’s largest floating wind farm in the coast of Scotland. Which can supply renewable energy for around 20,000 homes in 2017.

The named called Hywind is about to generate 30MW and solution to the North Sea’s huge wind energy potential without fixing of high cost turbines to the deep water seabed.

It is expected spend $245 m as first investment on this project by Hywind’s developer, Norway’s oil company Statoil. The right holder, Crown Estate granted a lease to the area known as Buchan Deep to the developer.

Five 6MW turbines will bow near Aberdeen 25km away from the offshore of Peterhead, in up to 120m deep water.

The preliminary area will cover up around 4sq km of the North Sea where wind have an average speed of 10 meter per second according to Statoil.

Hywind is scheduled to begin generating electricity by the end of next year.

Project director for Hywind of Statoil, Leif Delp said “We are very pleased to develop this project in Scotland, in a region with a huge wind resource and an experienced supply chain from oil and gas.”

“Through the hard work of industry and supportive government policies, the UK and Scotland is taking a position at the forefront of developing offshore wind as a competitive new energy source.”

Before taking the final decision for invest in Hywind Scotland in November last year, Statoil has been testing the conception of a floating turbine in a demonstration project off the Norwegian coast.

The conception includes mounting the turbines on fluctuating ballasted cylinders, each tied by three lines to the seabed.

Statoil says its proprietary pitch-motion control system is integrated with the turbine’s control system to mitigate the loss of generating capacity caused by excessive wave motion.

In March this year Statoil awarded UK-based Balfour Beatty an $8m (£5.5m) contract for the electrical system interface on Hywind. The contract includes engineering, procurement, construction and installation for the onshore cable and substation in Peterhead.

Photograph: Statoil’s illustration of floating Hywind turbines off Scotland (Statoil)