Design of Offshore Wind Farm Foundations

Synopsis:

Offshore wind power comes from the generation of electricity through wind farms at sea. In these locations there are higher wind speeds compared to land and therefore offshore farms generate more electricity per unit of installed capacity installed. Offshore wind farms are also less controversial than those on land, as they have less impact on people and the landscape. Most offshore wind farms to date employ fixed-foundation wind turbines in relatively shallow water although floating foundations are becoming more necessary as the available sites are found in deeper waters.  A big advantage of offshore wind power compared to onshore wind power is the higher capacity factor meaning that an installation of given nameplate capacity will produce more electricity at a site with more consistent and stronger wind which is usually found offshore and only at very few specific points onshore.  This talk will present the fundamental design considerations and techniques used for siting, design and implementation…