NORWAY FLOATS OFFSHORE WIND

World's first floating wind turbine on stream
Rolliev Solholm, September 9, 2009 (The Norway Post)

"Hywind, the world's first full-scale floating wind turbine is on stream…StatoilHydro's pilot facility is anchored 10 kilometres off Karmoey, in south-western Norway…

"The Hywind pilot is to be tested over a two-year period. It combines technology from both the wind power and oil and gas sectors, and draws on expertise gained from StatoilHydro’s long offshore experience…"

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"The Hywind concept combines known technologies in a completely new setting and opens up the possibility for capturing wind energy in deep-water environments."

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"The floating structure consists of a steel cylinder filled with a ballast of water and rocks. It extends 100 metres beneath the sea’s surface and is attached to the seabed by a three-point mooring spread.

"The turbine itself was manufactured by Siemens. Technip built the floater and was responsible for the installation work offshore. Nexans Norway laid the submarine power line. This comes ashore near Skudeneshavn at the southern end of Karmoey, where local grid operator Haugaland Kraft operates a receiving station."