Offshore Wind Turbines

Offshore wind turbines are generally bigger than onshore turbines to take advantage of the stronger less turbulent winds found offshore and economies of scale. The higher wind speeds at offshore sites can produce a significantly larger amount of electricity compared to average wind speeds on land.

Current proven technologies allow for the construction of wind turbines in up to 30m water depths. A foundation system for an offshore wind turbine is chosen based on water depth, current conditions and seabed sediment characteristics, the foundation system can be a mono-pile driven into the seabed, tripod structure, gravity base system or jacket structure.

Offshore wind turbines look similar to those onshore with several design modifications. Including strengthened towers to cope with wind-wave interactions, corrosion protection for the electrical components from sea air, and brightly colored access platforms for navigation and maintenance. There are also navigation and aerial warning lights and radar reflectors.