UKERC EDC: Publications

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Abstract:

Offshore Wind has huge potential to reduce carbon emissions and create economic prosperity, as well as increasing energy security of supply. For this potential to be unlocked, significant challenges that need to be overcome:

Electricity costs need to be competitive with current (2010) onshore wind costs by 2020 and with conventional generation by 2050,
Increased yields: annual offshore farm availability to be increased to 97%-98% or better,
Reduce technical uncertainties to allow farms to be financed in a manner, and at costs, equivalent to onshore wind today.

Helm Wind was one of three ETI Offshore Wind projects looking at new turbine design concepts, which were commissioned in support of the aims outlined above. The other two were NOVA and Deep Water. The focus of all projects was on enabling technologies that wouldhave a significant impact on offshorewind cost of energy from 2020 onwards

The Helm Wind project carried out an unconstrained investigation into the concepts and technologies required to deliver significant cost of energy reductions for offshore wind. This included rotor diameter, geometry and speed,number of blades, upwind and downwind orientations, drivetrain options and support structures. Led by E.ON, the consortium also included BP, Rolls-Royce and the University of Strathclyde.

Key findings:

The consortium indentified that sufficient improvements could be made through technology innovation to deliver energy costs that are comparable with current (2010) onshore wind costs: one of ETI’s objectives for this programme.
This involves innovation in rotor aerodynamics, rotor diameter, drive train technologies and electrical systems.
The consortium also indentified that theoptimum turbine size for offshore is significantly larger than the current ‘state of the art’.

Publication Year:

2011

Publisher:

ETI

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5286/UKERC.EDC.000583

Author(s):

ETI

Energy Category

Class Name:

Subclass Name:

Category Name:

Renewable Energy Sources

Wind Energy

Language:

English

File Type:

application/pdf

File Size:

124049 B

Rights:

Energy Technologies Institute Open Licence for Materials

Rights Overview:

The Energy Technologies Institute is making this document available to use under the Energy Technologies Institute Open Licence for Materials. Please refer to the Energy Technologies Institute website for the terms and conditions of this licence. The Information is licensed "as is" and the Energy Technologies Institute excludes all representations, warranties, obligations and liabilities in relation to the Information to the maximum extent permitted by law. The Energy Technologies Institute is not liable for any errors or omissions in the Information and shall not be liable for any loss, injury or damage of any kind caused by its use. This exclusion of liability includes, but is not limited to, any direct, indirect, special, incidental, consequential, punitive, or exemplary damages in each case such as loss of revenue, data, anticipated profits, and lost business. The Energy Technologies Institute does not guarantee the continued supply of the Information. Notwithstanding any statement to the contrary contained on the face of this document, the Energy Technologies Institute confirms that it has the right to publish this document.

Further information:

N/A

Region:

United Kingdom

Publication Type:

Project Report

Subject:

Technology

Theme(s):

Offshore Wind

Related Dataset(s):

No related datasets