Are ‘Ocean Floating Wind Power Generators’ a Possibility?

While talking about wind power generators and producing electric power from the wind (almost “producing energy from the air”), we tend to forget about the open spaces over the oceans and seas. But we overlook the fact that, the wind also blows over them constantly, and can be harnessed. And the steps necessary to generate this power are made by the most sophisticated nations. Thus, satellite ‘QuikSCAT’ (Quick Scatterometer), launched ten years ago by NASA, has collected a rich array of information which will help in planning and selecting the location of future floating wind farms. ‘QuikSCAT’ was carried into orbit in 1999. It registers the speed, direction and wind strength near the water surface. A special microwave radar installation named ‘SeaWinds’ collects data continuously for ‘QuikSCAT’, and this information will also be useful for more accurate prediction of storms and reduction of errors in weather forecasts. Wind energy, which can be used by wind farms on land, would cover 10-15 percent of future world energy needs. But, if we can exploit wind energy in the ocean areas with high winds, then we would get 500 - 800 watts of energy output from one square meter! Although it is a bit less than solar energy (about one kilowatt output per square meter), wind energy can be converted to electricity more efficiently than solar energy, and at a lower cost per 1 watt of electricity. Thus, floating wind farms in the open ocean may soon become a reality. Many wind farms are already working around the world. But floating wind farms have several advantages over onshore ones. Ocean wind turbines make less harmful environmental impact than onshore wind power plants. The noise of turbines on land has a bad influence on the surrounding wildlife. Another advantage - the ocean wind power plants gain stronger flows of wind, because water has less surface roughness than land. Another positive aspect of the ocean wind farms - there are no obstacles for the wind, such as hills, mountains and twists of surface. So, the maps drawn up on the basis of information provided by ‘QuikSCAT’ satellite will help to select the most suitable locations for ‘floating ocean wind farms’, where the flows of wind are constant and the highest. And, in addition, the maps will help to locate areas in the ocean with high winds which are dangerous for ships.