Windpower Engineering & Development

  • Home
  • Articles
    • Most recent posts
    • News
    • Featured
  • Resources
    • Digital issues
    • Podcasts
    • Suppliers
    • Webinars
    • Events
  • Videos
  • 2025 Leadership
    • 2024 Winners
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
  • Magazine
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe

Downwind: A floating wind farm with lodging

By Steven Bushong | March 25, 2013

hexicon_platform

Hexicon says the hull of the semi-submersible platform is covered by the patented Fagerdala Hull System, currently used on some ships. A foam composite structure attaches to an inner metal hull and protects against corrosion, vibration, and fatigue.

A 750-meter-long floating wind farm with living space could harness energy from places too deep and seabed conditions too difficult for bottom-mounted wind development. Hexicon, a Swedish design and engineering company, says its wind-farm design will use a centralized turret mooring system that lets a platform and its turbines automatically align to the wind. The company says the system becomes increasingly competitive at depths greater than 40 meters.

Although designs will vary depending on site, one shows the platform supporting twenty-four 3-MW turbines. Of those, 13 encounter clean wind at all times. The aft turbines experience a wind velocity deficit of 10 to 35%, but still enough wind to justify their presence, Hexicon says. A quick-release system allows moving the platform with integrated thrusters, reducing political and commercial risk. The size and stability of the platform results in a competitive cost structure, the company says, and on-board crew will limit downtime.

Wind tunnel and wave basin testing is scheduled for later this year. If the platform completes development, the island nation of Malta may be the first to benefit. According to estimates, one Hexicon platform could supply the nation with 10% of its electricity needs, meeting EU renewable energy standards –all at potentially less cost than fossil fuels. Power generation on islands, usually by diesel generators, has always been an expensive proposition. WPE

hexicon_platform_aerial

Wind farm personnel will arrive at the rear of the platform by helicopter or boat and live on-board, providing around-the-clock management, maintenance, and security. The electric feeder cable and swivel hook-ups, including the substation, are located above the water surface. The Hexicon platform is 750m long and 530m wide.


Filed Under: Turbines
Tagged With: downwind, Floating, hexicon, platform, submersible, wind farm, windpower
 

Related Articles Read More >

GE expands New York wind turbine factory, creating 200 new jobs
Richardson Electronics unveils new line of pitch energy modules for wind turbines
GE supplying turbines for 200-MW South Dakota wind project
Leeward completes 3rd wind project in Colorado county

Podcasts

Wind Spotlight: Looking back at a year of Thrive with ZF Wind Power
See More >

Windpower Engineering & Development Digital Edition

Digital Edition

Browse the most current issue of Windpower Engineering & Development and back issues in an easy to use high quality format. Clip, share and download with the leading wind power engineering magazine today.

Windpower Engineering & Development
  • Wind Articles
  • Solar Power World
  • Subscribe to Windpower Engineering
  • About Us/Contact Us

Copyright © 2025 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising

Search Windpower Engineering & Development

  • Home
  • Articles
    • Most recent posts
    • News
    • Featured
  • Resources
    • Digital issues
    • Podcasts
    • Suppliers
    • Webinars
    • Events
  • Videos
  • 2025 Leadership
    • 2024 Winners
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
  • Magazine
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe