Hexicon's Innovative Floating Wind Platform

In an attempt to address the major concerns surrounding wind farm installation and use, Swedish corporation Hexicon has designed a floating wind platform as a possible solution to this wind energy conundrum.

Hexicon touts its floating wind platform will have a long life, be comparatively easy to install, produce dual-functioning energy output, be movable and flexible, and able to pay itself off before the end of the farm's life span. Big claims that all sound pretty good.

Wind Farm Concerns:

Political negotiating aside, some of the more prominent concerns--or obstacles--regarding offshore wind farm installations are:

1. They can only be installed in relatively shallow waters.
2. Potential harm to surrounding marine life.
3. Underwater soil erosion after the fact.
4. Costs for both installation and ongoing maintenance.
5. Intermittent winds or extreme weather that results in inconsistent energy output.

In Hexicon's mind, their wind platform potentially diminishes concerns for all of the above.

How The Wind Platform Works:

Rather than anchoring wind turbines to bedrock in the sea floor, an interconnected, floating platform is constructed in the shape of a hexagon to which turbines are affixed. The platform is designed to withstand extreme weather by redirecting waves through a specially designed hull that keeps the entire platform stable.

Not only is stability maintained, but another form of renewable energy is being utilized as well. The floating platforms can be equipped with up to seven under-water wave generators as well. Plus, the structure is such that swapping out older technologies and installing newer ones is not a difficult task.

Good or Bad?

Conceptually, it's pretty cool. I mean you have a mechanism that tries to generate energy both above and below water. While the cost of installing a platform is no less than a typical wind farm installation, Hexicon claims the maintenance costs are greatly reduced as most of the structure is above water.

I'm not completely convinced this would be the case--especially if wave generators are installed. Or, if the platforms are designed to be placed further out at sea, would extreme weather still post a threat to above-water structures? Surely the platform's ability to divert waves can only be up to a certain extent.

But what I do like is the minimal impact on marine life and soil erosion. Plus, Hexicon's claim of a 60-year life to the platform is a worthwhile consideration as well.

And it's nice to see new innovations that directly tackle common criticisms. If tested to be tried and true, I think this could be a great answer to wind-farm conundrums.

Source (with great photos): Inhabitat

Learn more about Wind Power on eBoom's Wind Power Learning Page.