THE INCREASED POPULARITY OF OFFSHORE WIND FARMS
3 min read
Recently, there have been significant milestones in the offshore wind industry as governments focus on adopting reliable sources of clean and renewable energy. People’s energy needs evolve every day as technology advances. Today, the average person needs power all round the clock to run errands, businesses, and generally for survival. You need the power to charge your phone, use your computer, lighting, and run appliances, among other things. It is true to say that survival would be hard without power generation. Power outages result in significant losses in different sectors, especially industries and businesses. That is why governments are focused on developing offshore wind energy infrastructure to improve the reliable energy source.
The trend in the development of offshore wind farms
Offshore wind energy comes from wind turbines set up in the narrow sea, which generates energy from the fast wind speeds. The energy is then converted into power/electricity and distributed across different locations. Many countries that have long adopted offshore wind energy can testify that it is a reliable energy source that can be useful in meeting high energy demands. For instance, in America, people tend to be concentrated in the coastal regions. You find that high populations live in coastal areas, which means more energy demands. Since the sea is nearby, offshore wind energy is an innovative way to meet such regions’ high energy demands.
Revolution has been taking place along the coasts, and offshore wind farms have been ballooning in recent years. The global offshore wind prices are dropping significantly to allow people to afford its highly beneficial technology. This means that in the next twenty years, offshore wind generation with be a multi-billion dollar industry. America is still developing its way around the technology, but countries such as Europe and Asia are strides ahead and have shown how profitable it is to harness energy from the wind.
Adopting clean sources of energy
Globally, carbon pollutions are slowly polluting oceans, making them less-oxygen rich and acidic to marine life. At the same time, warming temperatures are gradually changing the ocean ecosystem. This is dangerous as it means marine life struggles to survive, and it poses health risks to people who rely on seafood sources. Concurrently, the rising sea levels threaten coastal communities, and regular flooding is washing away coastal infrastructure. This means that we must at all costs protect our environment, including adopting clean sources of energy.
Offshore wind energy can only provide the much needed economic benefit by providing us with an emission-free energy source. According to an IPCC report, ocean-based energy sources such as offshore wind energy can help address climate change and increase economic opportunities. Additionally, the use of carbon fiber prepreg, a lightweight and durable material, can help reduce the cost of construction and installation of offshore wind turbines.
Recent developments in offshore wind generation technology
Recently, there has been increased investments in wind power, and the market continues to grow. The recent developments of floating foundations of offshore wind farms show the potential to access areas previously unavailable for wind power generation. When constructing floating offshore wind farms, wind turbines connect to a floating structure tethered by the seafloor rather than the traditional way of installing the wind turbine foundation in the sea. As a result, wind turbines can operate in deep waters now.
conclusion
In conclusion, we expect to see many floating wind farms in development as people devise new ways of conserving the environment while adopting clean energy sources.
