A massive wind farm in the Atlantic could meet world's power needs
- 7 years ago
STANFORD, CALIFORNIA — The entire world could be powered by one deep-sea wind farm stretching across the Atlantic, a new study finds.
Building an installation the size of India would could meet the whole world's power needs, according to a study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Doctors Anna Possner and Ken Caldeira from the Carnegie Institution for Science at Stanford University pointed out wind speeds over the ocean are on average 70 percent higher than over land, the Independent reported.
Land-based wind farms have an upper threshold in the amount of energy that can be converted into electricity due to the combined drag of the spinning blades.
Other studies have found land-based farms to have a limit of about 1.5 watts per square meter.
Possner and Caldeira say it would be possible to produce 6 watts per square meter in the North Atlantic.
Power output would be seasonal, with levels dropping to a fifth of the yearly average during the summer time.
Several engineering challenges would have to be overcome. A deep-sea wind farm would have to operate in remote and harsh conditions where waves frequently exceed three meters (9.8 ft), according to the researchers.
Laying transmission cables that stretch across the ocean floor and then connect to floating turbines in open ocean would be another obstacle.
Building an installation the size of India would could meet the whole world's power needs, according to a study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Doctors Anna Possner and Ken Caldeira from the Carnegie Institution for Science at Stanford University pointed out wind speeds over the ocean are on average 70 percent higher than over land, the Independent reported.
Land-based wind farms have an upper threshold in the amount of energy that can be converted into electricity due to the combined drag of the spinning blades.
Other studies have found land-based farms to have a limit of about 1.5 watts per square meter.
Possner and Caldeira say it would be possible to produce 6 watts per square meter in the North Atlantic.
Power output would be seasonal, with levels dropping to a fifth of the yearly average during the summer time.
Several engineering challenges would have to be overcome. A deep-sea wind farm would have to operate in remote and harsh conditions where waves frequently exceed three meters (9.8 ft), according to the researchers.
Laying transmission cables that stretch across the ocean floor and then connect to floating turbines in open ocean would be another obstacle.