Oh Governor Brown how about that offshore wind power?

Based on a 5 MW wind turbine on a 264 foot tower with wind speed cutoff of 15.66 mph at water depths up to 660 feet, 112% of California's electricity needs could be provided with offshore wind energy alone!!!

A significant amount of offshore wind energy potential does exist in California, with 330 TWh developable annually in all waters. The vast majority (86%) of California’s offshore wind resource exists in deep waters (160-660 feet). And guess what? The feedstock is always priced the same = zero.

What is mindboggling is that instead of California having enabling legislation; we have a study going on. That would be government speak for let’s put it off to a committee or better yet the next administration!!!

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory atmospheric scientists are working with a Norwegian company (SWAY) to possibly leverage that wind as a valuable energy source.

LLNL has signed a memorandum of understanding with SWAY, a renewable energy company that has developed floating towers for wind turbines located in deep water. Though California has not yet approved offshore wind turbines, SWAY will launch a 1/5 scale prototype of the technology off the coast of Norway during June 10 to demonstrate how the system could work in the Pacific Ocean.

Towers for offshore wind turbines typically sit 0-30 meters deep in the water and are anchored to the ocean floor. Based on technology that was originally used for deep-sea oil drilling, SWAY has developed a system to generate more offshore power by locating turbine towers deeper in the ocean – at depths from 60-400 meters. The turbines would sit on top of the floating, tethered tower.

"California has an abundance of deep water wind resources, so this is an opportunity for the state," said Nalu Kaahaaina, LLNL's Low-Carbon Energy Program leader. "This technology is clean, reliable and even more consistent than traditional onshore wind turbines."

Power generation from offshore wind turbines is significantly higher than onshore wind turbines.

"We have offshore wind resources in California and the wind is blowing all the time," said Roger Aines, LLNL's Carbon Fuel Cycle Program leader. "If SWAY has success in Norway, the technology could be useful in California."

Now my wonder as to why the study since Siemens and Vestas are the leaders in offshore wind.

Siemens and Vestas are the leading turbine suppliers for offshore wind power. Dong Energy, Vattenfall and E.on are the leading offshore operators. There are about 4 GW of offshore wind power capacity operational, mainly in Northern Europe. According to BTM Consult, more than 16 GW of additional capacity will be installed before the end of 2014 and the United Kingdom and Germany will become the two leading markets. Offshore wind power capacity is expected to reach a total of 75 GW worldwide by 2020, with significant contributions from China and the United States.

Offshore turbines require different types of bases for stability, according to the depth of water. To date a number of different solutions exist:

• A monopile (single column) base, six meters in diameter, is used in waters up to 100 feet deep.

• Gravity Base Structures, for use at exposed sites in water 65- 264 feet deep.

• Tripod piled structures, in water 65-264 feet deep.

• Tripod suction caisson structures, in water 65-264 feet deep.

• Conventional steel jacket structures, as used in the oil and gas industry, in water 65-264 feet deep.

• Floating wind turbines are being developed for deeper water.

Some of those old oil platforms on California’s coast might go to new use?

Offshore wind energy costs of under 6 cents per kWh. Capital costs are around 30-50% higher than onshore, due to larger machine size, subsea cable for tie-in (up to 25 miles offshore) and the costs of transporting and installing at sea. This is partially offset by higher energy yields – with capacity factors at 45%. If the wind systems are mass-produced, their capital costs will drop, which will reduce the cost of electricity to 3 or 4-cents per kilowatt hour (kWh).

Pretty cool!!!