Mor Temor

2.21 Floating Plants and Offshore Wind Energy

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A floating structure consisting of two sections was constructed in 1978 in Brazil. One section of the structure is built for a pulp plant (230 m x 45 m x 14.5 m) while the other section is for a power plant (220 m x 45 m x 14.5 m). It was towed to its site at Munguba as a floating structure but was installed in its location on piled foundations.

In 1979, Bangladesh purchased from Japan a 60.4 m x 46.6 m x 4 m floating power plant. The power plant is located at Khulna, Bangladesh. In 1981, Saudi Arabia built a 70 m x 40 m x 20.5 m floating desalination plant and towed to its site where it was sunk into position and rests on the seabed. In 1981, Argentina constructed a 89 m x 22.5 m x 6 m floating polyethylene plant at Bahia Blance. In 1985, Jamaica acquired a 45 m x 30.4 m x 10 m floating power plant. This plant was built in Japanese shipyards and towed to Jamaica and moored by a dolphin-rubber fender system. Studies are already underway to use floating structures for wind farms (see Fig. 44), sewage treatment plant and power plant in Japan (Watanabi, 2004).

 Fig. 44 Concept Design of a Clean Energy Plant by Floating Structure Association of Japan.

 Year 2001 saw the construction of the first offshore windfarms using multiple-windturbines (MW), as a precursor to the very large windfarms that are planned to be built over the next few years in the shallow seas surrounding Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Britain and Ireland (see fig. 45-46). These windfarms will consist of tens to hundreds of such MW-sized turbines and for the first time, it will be possible to build a wind-energy power station with a similar output as a conventional plant. Offshore wind energy will become a major source of energy across large regions in northern Europe and the trend of companies from the traditional energy industries becoming involved will continue. This is likely to lead to further attempts to introduce novel technology onto the market as these organisations attempt to apply their knowledge to the problem of generating large amounts of electricity from the wind, both cheaply and reliably (Henderson, 2002).

 Fig. 45 Tensioned Leg Platform.

 Fig 46 Semi-Submersible.

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