New Research Aims to Stabilise Floating Offshore Wind Turbines

Simulations pave way for designs making pontoon masts financially viable

Wave simulation specialists hope to make offshore wind turbines in deep water more financially feasible by researching the best way to stabilise the floating pontoons they would have to sit on. Static turbines can be fixed to the ocean floor near the coast but the cost and infrastructure complexities of doing so further out to sea mean they would have to be instead mounted on tethered buoyant platforms – exposing them to high winds and large waves. Academics from Manchester Metropolitan University have won a £124,000 grant to develop computer models to test the best methods to stabilise and control the motions of the turbine and its semi-submerged support... ... More: Official Press Release Manchester Metropolitan University

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Manchester, Metropolitan University, study, resaerch, floating turbine, offshore, stabilize, water depth, floater, turbine, North Sea