As the U.S. offshore wind industry grapples with rising installation costs and environmental concerns, a renewable energy project in Portugal may provide a viable alternative. Located a little over 12 miles off the Portuguese coast, WindFloat Atlantic developed the world’s first semisubmersible wind farm in 2020, and the facility has been proving its potential to shake up the offshore wind sector.
The wind farm consists of three floating platforms, each equipped with a wind turbine, which can be raised or lowered based on changing water levels. These platforms are anchored to the seafloor, ensuring stability even in severe weather conditions.
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One of the key advantages of the semisubmersible design is its cost-effectiveness. These turbines are reportedly 50% cheaper to build than traditional monopile foundation systems used in many offshore wind farms. Additionally, these types of turbines have shown they can be environmentally beneficial, with surveys indicating that floating wind farms contribute to undersea conservation efforts and the formation of coral reefs.
“We are proud to see that our project progresses each year toward having a more positive impact,” Jose Miguel Moreira Pinheiro, project director of WindFloat Atlantic, said in a statement. “We are deeply committed to ensuring that our project benefits not only the environment but also the community.”
The energy production from WindFloat Atlantic’s project has also exceeded expectations. Since it began operations, the wind farm has outperformed initial projections. It now generates enough electricity to power 25,000 homes annually while preventing the release of approximately 33,000 tons of carbon dioxide each year — the equivalent of removing nearly 8,000 gasoline-powered cars from the road.
THE U.S. OFFSHORE WIND INDUSTRY HAS BEEN HAMPERED BY ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS AND RISING INSTALLATION COSTS.
BUT A PROJECT IN PORTUGAL MAY HAVE FOUND A SOLUTION TO THOSE PROBLEMS.
BACK IN 2020, WINDFLOAT ATLANTIC DEVELOPED THE WORLD’S FIRST SEMI-SUBMERSIBLE WIND FARM-
LOCATED A LITTLE OVER 12 MILES OFF THE PORTUGUESE COAST.
THE FACILITY CONSISTS OF THREE FLOATING PLATFORMS, EACH WITH A TURBINE ON A BOARD THAT CAN BE RAISED AND LOWERED AS NEEDED IN CHANGING WATER LEVELS.
WITH THE WHOLE STRUCTURE BEING ANCHORED TO THE SEAFLOOR SO IT REMAINS IN PLACE-
EVEN IN THE FACE OF SEVERE WEATHER.
THESE PARTIALLY SUBMERGED TURBINES CAN BE 50 PERCENT CHEAPER TO BUILD THAN THEIR MONOPILE FOUNDATION COUNTERPARTS.
THEY’RE ALSO REPORTEDLY BETTER FOR THE SURROUNDING ECOSYSTEM-
WITH SURVEYS FINDING SEMI-SUBMERGED WIND FARMS HELP FOSTER UNDERSEA CONSERVATION EFFORTS AND THE FORMATION OF CORAL REEFS.
ADDITIONALLY, THESE FACILITIES ARE PRODUCING ENERGY AT A MUCH BETTER RATE THAN EXPERTS HAD PREVIOUSLY FORECASTED.
SINCE THE WIND FARM IN PORTUGAL CAME ONLINE-
IT HAS BLOWN PAST PREVIOUS ELECTRICAL OUTPUT PROJECTIONS DURING ITS FIRST FOUR YEARS OF OPERATION.
THE WIND FARM NOW PROVIDES ENOUGH ENERGY TO ANNUALLY POWER 25,000 HOMES-
WHILE ALSO REMOVING ABOUT 33,000 TONS OF CARBON DIOXIDE FROM THE ATMOSPHERE-
AN EMISSIONS TOTAL EQUIVALENT TO TAKING NEARLY 8,000 GASOLINE-ENGINE CARS OFF THE ROAD FOR A YEAR.
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