Page 44: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (July 2020)

offsHore wind

Photo: Rovco

European and Chinese markets. It’s still a different story in the jected installed capacity over the coming years is the advance-

U.S., but WER sees cost parity by the end of next decade. To- ment and commercial demonstration of floating offshore wind day, installation capital expenditure (capex) cost for bottom- turbines, which open up new areas to exploit: specifically, in fixed turbine projects averages just over $3,000 per kilowatt deeper waters where the construction of wind farms was not (KW) with transmission. WER projects this will fall to fall to previously feasible. Currently almost all offshore wind power $2,500/KW by 2030 and $1,900/KW by 2040. generation comes from bottom-fixed turbines, which are re- stricted to water depths of about 60 meters or less. However,

FLOatiNG FutuRe as concepts continue to evolve and become proven, floating

Another significant factor leading to a major jump in pro- turbines will enable wind farm construction in deeper waters

World’s most powerful offshore wind turbine

Wind turbine maker Siemens Gamesa has unveiled a new

SG 14-222 DD offshore Direct Drive wind turbine with 14

MW capacity.

The capacity can reach up to 15 MW using the company’s

Power Boost function, a 222-meter diameter rotor, 108-me- ter long blades and a 39,000-square-meter swept area.

The 14 MW capacity allows one SG 14-222 DD machine able to provide enough energy to power approximately

Photo: Siemens 18,000 average European households every year.

Approximately 30 SG 14-222 DD offshore wind turbines could furthermore cover the annual electricity con- sumption of Bilbao, Spain, Siemens Gamesa said.

The turbines have already been earmarked for the proposed 2,640-MW Dominion Energy Coastal Virginia

Offshore Wind (CVOW) project in the U.S.

The prototype will be ready in 2021 with the turbines expected to be commercially available in 2024.

44 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • July 2020