Michael C' Robinson, Ph'D'

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Renewable Energy Technologies for Use on the
Outer Continental Shelf

• Michael C. Robinson, Ph.D.
• National Renewable Energy Lab
• 6 June 2006
• Mike_Robinson_at_nrel.gov

Ocean Energy Technology

• Technology Overview
• Offshore Wind
• Ocean Wave
• Ocean Current
• Ocean Tidal

Offshore Wind Technology Horns Rev Denmark
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Growth of Wind Energy Capacity Worldwide
Jan 2006 Cumulative MW 56,813 Rest of World
7,270 North America 9,550 Europe
39,993
MW Installed
Sources BTM Consult Aps, Sept 2005
Windpower Monthly, January 2006
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A Typical Large Turbine has Multiple Subsystems
and Controls
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Schematic of Wind Plant
At its simplest, the wind turns the turbines
blades, which spin a shaft connected to a
generator that makes electricity. Large
turbines are grouped together to form a wind
power plant, which feeds electricity to the grid.
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Wind Turbine Power Basics
Power in the Wind ½?AV3
A - Area of the circle swept by the rotor ? Air
density V Wind Velocity
Wind Turbine Power Curve
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Offshore GE Wind Energy 3.6 MW Prototype
Boeing 747-400
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Offshore Wind U.S. RationaleWhy Go Offshore?
Windy onshore sites are not close to coastal load
centers
The electric utility grid cannot be easily set up
for interstate electric transmission
Load centers are close to the offshore wind sites
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U.S. Offshore Wind Energy Opportunity
U.S. Offshore Wind Energy Resource
Resource Not Yet Assessed
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US Projects Proposed
No Offshore wind projects Installed in U.S. yet
Cape Wind Associates
Hull Municipal
Winergy
LIPA Florida Power and Light
Atlantic Ocean
Southern Company
W.E.S.T. LLC
Gulf of Mexico
Superior Renewable
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Deep Water Wind Turbine Development
Current Technology
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Typical Offshore Wind Farm Layout
Cable Laying Ship
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Location of Existing Offshore Installations
Worldwide
Source Wind Directions, September 2004
804-MW Installed Dec 2005
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Horns Rev Wind Farm - Denmark
Country DenmarkLocation West CoastTotal
Capacity 160 MWNumber of Turbines 80Distance
to Shore 14-20 kmDepth 6-12 mCapital Costs
270 million EuroManufacturer VestasTotal
Capacity 2 MWTurbine-type V80 - 80m
diameter Hub-height 70-mMean Windspeed 9.7
m/sAnnual Energy output 600 GWh
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Wind Turbine Size
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Fixed Bottom Substructure Technology
Proven Designs
Future
Monopile Foundation
Gravity Foundation
Tripod/Truss Foundation

• No wind experience
• Oil and gas to 450-m
• Larger footprint

• Most Common Type
• Minimal Footprint
• Depth Limit 25-m
• Low stiffness

• Larger Footprint
• Depth Limit?
• Stiffer but heavy

Graphics source http//www.offshorewindenergy.or
g/
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Arklow Banks Windfarm The Irish Sea
Photo R. Thresher
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Future Concepts Commercialization is long term
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Offshore Wind Turbine Access
Credit GE Energy
Photo Elsam
Credit GE Energy
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RePower 5-MW - Worlds Largest Turbine

• 5-MW Rating
• 61.5-m blade length (LM Glasfibres)
• Offshore Demonstration project by Talisman
  Energy in Beatrice Fields
• 45-m Water Depths
• Two machines

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Ocean Wave Resource Location
WA OR CA 440 TWh/yr
ME NH MA RI NY NJ 110 TWh/yr
Southern AK 1,250 TWh/yr
Northern HI 300 TWh/yr
Total flux into all regions with avg. wave power
density gt10 kW/m is 2,100 TWh/yr
Harnessing 20 of offshore wave energy resource
at 50 efficiency would be comparable to all US
conventional hydro generation in 2003.
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US Ocean Energy Extraction Potential

• Based on Typical Land-based Exclusions
• Offshore Wind
• gtWind Class 5
• 5-50nm
• lt900-m Depth
• GOM, Alaska, Hawaii, SC, GA not included yet

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Wave Energy Extraction Technologies
Point Absorber
Attenuator
Terminator OWC
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Wave (Point Absorber) Technology Examples
PowerBuoy Ocean Power Technology Oahu, Hawai
Aquabuoy AquaEnergy - Makah Bay, WA
OSU PM Linear Generator
Archimedes Wave Swing MK I - Portugal
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Integrator Technology Example
OPD Pelamis Being Towed to EMEC For Test Trials
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Terminator Technology Example
Wave Dragon 14.5 Scale Prototype Under Sea Test
in Nissum Bredning, DK
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Oscillating Water Column Technology
Wave Gen OWC Islay, Scotland
Oscillating Water Column Energetech Port
Kembla, Australia
GreenWave Energetech Point Judith, RI
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North America Wave Energy Projects Coast to
Coast
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In-Stream Tidal Technology Examples
Gorlov Helical Vertical Axis Merrimack River,
Verdant Horizontal Axis East River, NY
Hydro Open Center Turbine Gulf Stream
Underwater Electric Kite Merrimack River,
Lunar Energy, Rotech Tidal Turbine
MCT SeaFlow Experimental Test
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North America Tidal Energy Projects Coast to
Coast
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Offshore Wind / Wave Synergy

• Long term possibility
• Maximize Grid Interconnect Potential
• Improve Intermittency Total Energy Output
• Increase System Reliability Reduce Maintenance

• Credit GE Energy

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Summary

• Near term wind turbines in shallow-sheltered
  sites possible now.
• New wind technologies for deeper water are long
  term
• Ocean wave and current technologies are in the
  first prototype testing stage
• Hydrogen production long term