Floating wind power generation report card

Can floating offshore wind power deep water regions?

Floating offshore wind technology presents a significant opportunity to unlock vast renewable energy potential in deep water regions, potentially contributing to gigawatts of clean energy generation capacity and accelerating global clean energy goals.

What is the IRENA report on floating offshore wind?

This IRENA report, commissioned by Japan under its 2023 G7 Presidency, takes stock of the market and recent technological developments in the floating offshore wind space. The report also explores ancillary factors (grid connections and port infrastructure); sustainability considerations; and the coupling potential of floating offshore wind.

What are floating offshore wind turbines?

Floating offshore wind turbines will be in areas where botom-fixed wind turbines are not economically atractive. This geographic spread smoothens offshore wind generation and contributes to balancing the energy system. Floating offshore wind turbines are assembled onshore and towed to site.

Are floating foundations a game changer for offshore wind development?

Some of the largest potential markets, such as Japan and the United States, possess few shallow-water sites suitable for offshore wind development. Floating foundations could be game changers in this regard.

What is floating offshore wind installation research?

Classifications Floating offshore wind installation research encompasses not only the wind turbines and their floating foundations but also the installation of other crucial components such as cables, mooring systems, and substations.

How much does floating offshore wind cost?

Goal: Reduce the cost of floating offshore wind in deep waters by more than 70%, to $45 per megawatt-hour1 by 2035. 1 For a reference site with 1,000-meter-deep water, 125 kilometers from the point of grid interconnection on shore.