Offshore Wind Offshore Wind Opportunities and Opportunities and

ChallengesChallenges

Greg WatsonMassachusetts Technology Collaborative

watson@masstech.org

Capitol Hill Ocean WeekCapitol Hill Ocean Week

Coastal States OrganizationCoastal States Organization

June 13, 2006June 13, 2006

The Need for Change … and Choice•Global Population Growth

•Energy Consumption+50% by 2020•Fossil Reserves ?•Environmental Impact?•Alternatives ?

•Global Population Growth•Energy Consumption+50% by 2020•Fossil Reserves ?•Environmental Impact?•Alternatives ?

Current State of Offshore Current State of Offshore WindWind

Countries 6

Projects 22

Turbines 335

Capacity 620 MW

160 MW Offshore Farm – Horns Rev, North Sea

Location Country Online No. MW Mfg. Water Foundation DistanceDepth m (ft) Tripod Gravity Monopile from Shore

Norgersund (SE) Sweden 1990 1 0.22 WindWorld 7m (23ft) 0.03 km (100 ft)Vindeby (DK) Denmark 1991 11 4.95 Bonus 3 - 5m (10 -16ft) 1.5 km (.9 mi)Lely (NL) Holland 1994 4 2 NedWind 5 - 10m (16 -33ft) 0.75 km (.5 mi)Tuno Knob (DK) Denmark 1995 10 5 Vestas 3 - 5m (10 -16ft) 6 (3.7 mi)Dronten (NL) Holland 1996 28 16.8 Nordtank 5m (16ft) 20 (12.5 mi)Gotland (SE) Sweden 1997 5 2.75 WindWorld 6m (20ft) 3 (1.9 mi)Blyth Offshore (UK) UK 2000 2 3.8 Vestas 8m (26ft) 0.8 (0.5 mi)Middelgrunden (DK) Denmark 2001 20 40 Bonus 3 - 6m (10 - 20ft) 3 (1.9 mi)Utgrunden (SE) Sweden 2001 7 10 GE Wind 7 - 10m (23 - 33ft) 8 km (5 mi)

Yttre Stengrund (SE) Sweden 2001 5 10 NEG Micon 6 - 10m (20 - 33ft) 5 km (3.1 mi)Horns Rev (DK) Denmark 2002 80 160 Vestas 7 - 10m (23 - 33ft) 25 km (15.5 mi)

Samso (DK) Denmark 2003 10 23 Bonus 11 - 18m (36 - 59ft) 3.5 km (2.2 mi)Frederikshavn (DK) Denmark 2003 4 11 V, B, N 7 - 10m (23 - 33ft) 3 (1.9 mi)Nysted (DK) Denmark 2003 72 158.4 Bonus 6 - 10m (20 - 33ft) 12 km (7.5 mi)Arklow (IE) Ireland 2003 7 25.2 GE Wind 5 - 10m (16 - 33ft) 10 km (6 mi)

Totals 266 473 1 114 144

Offshore ProjectsOffshore Projects (2004) (2004)

11,455 MW Proposed 11,455 MW Proposed Offshore Through 2010 Offshore Through 2010

Proposed US Offshore Proposed US Offshore ActivityActivity

• Cape Wind 420+ MW Nantucket Sound (Massachusetts)

• Long Island Power Authority 140MW off the coast of Jones Beach (New York)

• Winergy LLC Applied for numerous permits along East Coast

• Southern To determine if offshore wind power is a feasible renewable energy

option for the Mid-Atlantic. The project concept is expected to include three to five wind turbines that could generate 10 megawatts of power,.

• Venice, Louisiana Wind Energy Systems Technology and GT Energy have signed an

agreement to develop up to 500 MW of offshore wind power in the Gulf of Mexico, utilizing decommissioned oil drilling platforms.

• Corpus Christi, Texas Alternative Energy Institute and the General Land Office of Texas (GLO)

teamed up to install a wind monitoring station on offshore oil platform.

Windy land is not always near load centers

Grid is not set up for long interstate electric transmission

Load centers are close to the ocean

US Offshore Wind Resource

Graphic Credit: Bruce Bailey AWS Truewind

Why Go Offshore?Why Go Offshore?

•A $ Multi-B Industry over the Next 10 Years

•Remarkable Growth: 15-25% CAGR

•Cost of Electricity Approaching 5-6¢/kWh

•Higher Capacity Factors

•Less Turbulence and Turbine Fatigue

•Larger Machines Sited Near Load Centers

•Global Customer Base

•Favorable Incentives (RPS, PTC)

What Does IndustryWhat Does Industry See In Offshore Wind? See In Offshore Wind?

Exclusions 0 to 5 nm – 100%5 to 20 nm – 67% 20 to 50 nm – 33% Accounts for avian, marine mammal, view shed, restricted habitats, shipping routes & other habitats.

U.S. Offshore Wind Energy Resource

Resource not yet assessed

  

Region

GW by Depth (m)

Shallow

Transitional Deep

0-30 30-60 60-90 <900

New England 10 44 131 0

Mid-Atlantic 64 126 45 30

Great Lakes 16 12 194 0

California 0 0 48 168

Pacific Northwest 0 2 100 68

Total 90 183 518 266

“…there may be, conservatively speaking, more than 100 gigawatts of capacity just off of New England”

New England Offshore

Wind Resource

New England Offshore

Wind Resource

David Garman, Acting Under Secretary, U.S. DOEThe Energy Daily, August 30, 2004

Mid-Atlantic Offshore Wind

Resource

West Coast Offshore Wind Resource

US Continental ShelfUS Continental Shelf

Other FactorsOther Factors

• Factors in the environment that can affect design, performance, or operation

• External Conditions most relevant to offshore wind turbines: Wind Waves Ice

• Others: currents, temperature, salinity, marine growth, lightning

Offshore Wind Technology Challenges

The Key Differences between onshore and

offshore •Hydro-dynamic loads + wind loads

•Highly corrosive salt-laden air

•Dehumidification required to prevent equipment deterioration

•Remote, difficult access - autonomous operation essential

•Visual aesthetics and noise pollution less problematic than on land

•Turbine lower % of costs offshore

TurbinesTurbines

Wind Turbines

Gearbox Epoxy-Glass

Composite Blades

Electrical Pitch Drives

Transformer & Electrical

Doubly-FedGenerator

Main Shaft & Bearing

Power ElectronicConverter

• GE 1.5 MW• 77 M Rotor Diameter • 50-100 M Tower• 98% Availability• Speed 10-20 RPM• Variable Pitch

Turbine SizeTurbine Size

10 MW Turbine Concept

• 180 m rotor diameter• Downwind 2 blade machine• Flexible compliant blades• Flow controlled blades• High rpm/tip velocity > 100 m/s• Gearless direct drive• Space frame structure• Multivariable damping controls• 40 m water depth foundation• Hurricane ride-thru capability

Can we build it?Do the economics make sense?

Current Foundation Current Foundation TechnologyTechnology

Floating PlatformsFloating Platforms

Potential for floating wind energy is going to depend whether the current cost disadvantages can be overcome by the development of innovative solutions to constructions and installation

Location: State/Federal Location: State/Federal WatersWaters

• General Rule:State Waters: up to 3 nautical milesFederal Waters: > 3 nautical miles

(Submerged Lands Act of 1953, 43 U.S.C. 1301 et seq.)

Environmental Siting Environmental Siting ConcernsConcerns

• Migratory birds• Endangered species• Migratory bats• Marine Mammals• Fish Habitat

Displacement

Economic Siting IssuesEconomic Siting Issues

• Visual Impacts Property Values Tourism

• Commercial and recreational boating

• Commercial and recreational fishing

• Aviation/radar

Collaborative Approach Required

to Develop ResourceOffshore wind energy calls for a broad-based, focused, coordinated approach to planning, research and development, and policy development.

Onshore Turbine

Shallow 0-30m depth

Transitional 30-60m depth

Deep 60-900m depth

Onshore Turbine

Shallow 0-30m depth

Transitional 30-60m depth

Deep 60-900m depth

Many Technology Needs

Many Stakeholders

• A principal focus is to broaden the wind resource potential through exploration of deep water and far offshore technologies.

• Goal: To overcome the barriers to generating and delivering electricity from U.S. offshore wind farms at a competitive cost by the beginning of the next decade.

Offsh0re Wind Offsh0re Wind CollaborativeCollaborative

Process

• Consult with key parties to identify key issues and obstacles to a sustainable offshore wind industry.

• Develop a Framework that identifies opportunities to take advantage of and barriers to overcome that will lead to successful offshore wind development in the US.

• Design a Organizational Development Plan that recommends the organizational structure, funding levels and sources, and human resources necessary to implement the Framework and realize its potential.

Collaborative ParticipantsGovernment• MMS - lead regulatory agency

Coast Guard and Army Corps of Engineers

EPA, NOAA, Fish and Wildlife Service• Department of Energy • State and Local Jurisdictions

Industry• Wind manufacturers and developers• Offshore oil/gas, general marine• Utility sector

Research Community• National Laboratories• University and research institutes• International liaison / coordination

Framework DevelopedEarly 2004: Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, General Electric, DOE agreed to explore collaboration for development of U.S. offshore wind energy Early pilot research Developed “Framework document” based on

broad stakeholder input

Mid 2005: Framework released addresses challenges and outlines for action: Technology Development Environmental Compatibility Economic and Financial Viability Regulation and Governmental Policies Leadership Coordination

Offshore Wind Collaborative (OWC) Expected Outcomes

• Expand viable resource base into deeper waters

• Expand ability to site beyond the horizon

• Inter-disciplinary, multi-sector partnerships to reduce cost

• Establish US technological & operational leadership

• Include wind as a part of the ocean management dialogue

• Develop industry in a way that improves our nation’s marine resources

Stimulate Marine IndustryStimulate Marine Industry

Protect the Ocean Protect the Ocean and Environmentand Environment

Greg WatsonMassachusetts Technology Collaborative

watson@masstech.org