Offshore Wind

Geoff Sharples
geoff@clearpathenergyllc.com
Frequently Unanswered Questions
Why dont they build more offshore wind?
Why not make the blades bigger?
How big will turbines get?

Offshore Resource is Good
The Market Drivers Converge
New offshore
exceeds new
onshore
Current commercial turbines stand in less
than 30m of water huddled at 20x20

Wind ventures further offshore
Source: EWEA Oceans of Opportunity 2009
Confidential
Interactive map at http://www.4coffshore.com/offshorewind/
To a shore based observer a 90m nacelle is below the horizon at 35 km
To a shore based observer a wind farm appears as white stripe at 20km
Power Prices Higher in Coastal States

Cape Wind PPA at 18 c/kWh
The cycle of non-innovation
Offshore
turbines
today :
Modified
onshore
turbines
Confined
to
shallow
water
Incumbents:
understand the
technical issues
Have a vested
interest in existing
supply chains and
facilities.
Incumbents fund
evolutionary design
Developer
tech risk
averse
Utilities
are risk
averse
Human
customers
demand
cheap
reliable
power
Offshore
wind:
Close to
load
Far from
view
Large
Resource
but
Entrepreneurs
cant fund
revolutionary
prototypes
Because
Project
Financiers
are risk
averse
Capital intensity curtails innovation
Because
Because
Cost of energy
COE = (DR+IWF) x ICC + LRC + O&M
AEPnet

Where: COE = LevelizedCost of Energy ($/kWh) (constant dollars)
DR = Discount Rate (1/yr) = RISK Large Impact
IWF = Insurance, Warranty and Fees (1/yr)
ICC = Initial Installed Capital Cost ($) = TUR
CC
+ BOS
CC

TUR
CC
= Turbine Capital Cost ($) Some Impact
BOS
CC
= Balance of System Capital Cost ($) Small? Impact
LRC = LevelizedReplacement/Overhaul Cost ($/yr) Med Impact
O&M = LevelizedO&M Cost ($/yr) Med Impact
AEPnet =Net Annual Energy Production (kWh/yr) Large Impact

Physical Constraints
Swept Area R^2
U = wind speed
air density
Mechanical conversion efficiency
Rotor Power Coefficient
conversion wind to mechanical
(subject to Betz limit)
Design Objectives
Reduce Risk
Increase energy capture
Get to better resource
Reduce operations cost
Increase turbine capacity

Design Areas
Blades
Towers
Generators
Rethink old ideas
Transitional Technology Status Quo

Floating Structures Status Quo

Frequently Unanswered Questions
Why dont they build more offshore wind?
Why not make the blades bigger?
How big will turbines get?
FIN
Thank You