US startup ditches towers for pyramid-mounted turbines that dance with wind - Interesting Engineering

US startup ditches towers for unique pyramid-mounted wind turbines
US startup ditches towers for pyramid-mounted turbines that dance with windA unique and disruptive design could radically change how wind turbines of the future look and the costs of operating them.Ameya PalejaPublished: Dec 08, 2023 07:50 AM ESTinnovationArtist's illustration of how a full-scale turbine could be towed arround with tug boatT-Omega Wind Get a daily digest of the latest news in tech, science, and technology, delivered right to your mailbox. Subscribe now.By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Policies You may unsubscribe at any time.An innovative floating offshore wind turbine prototype was launched in New Bedford, Massachusetts this week. Instead of a single anchor tower, the approach uses a pyramid base that can also passively orient itself in the direction of the blowing wind. As wind turbines get bigger and sweep larger areas in a single rotation, wind farms move offshore to gain maximum advantage from powerful sea winds. Over the years, the costs of wind-based energy have been plummeting, but as wind farms are set up farther into the sea, the costs and time required to set up new wind farms are bound to increase. See Also Related Single-blade wind turbine works at wind speeds of 157 mph Vertical axis wind turbines offer higher energy output and low noise Wind power tech could unlock 80% more energy in the US Interesting Engineering recently reported how a Chinese manufacturer of wind turbines demonstrated the installation of the turbine in just 24 hours. While the feat is commendable, it can be achieved with powerful equipment and good weather conditions on your side. Boston, Massachusetts-based T-Omega Wind (TOW) uses a radically different approach to make installing and maintaining offshore turbines easier. Pyramid-based floating turbinesTOW's founders have taken a simple approach to solve a major challenge facing the wind industry. The company argues that for every ton of weight that needs to be installed above the water, four tons of weight need to be installed underneath if the single central tower needs to be maintained upright. By getting rid of the central tower in their design, TOW has eliminated the need for a heavy counterweight, saving cost-enhancing material and construction costs. Instead of a single-sided pinwheel turbine design, TOW uses a double-sided axle supported at both ends. The weight-bearing of each end is done by diagonal supports, which form a pyramid base when connected to their bottom. The pyramidal base is equipped with floats to keep the entire assembly above the water while tethering it to the sea bed. Not only does such an arrangement prevent the turbine from floating away, but it also gives it the passive ability to orient itself in the direction of the blowing wind. Progress with prototypesAn added advantage of this design is that a turbine can be assembled, onshored, and towed to the location of the wind farm. Similarly, maintenance facilities can be located onshore and utility companies do not need to invest in crane ships to oversee maintenance of the turbines, further reducing costs of operation. T-Omega wind's 1/16th scale demonstrator in real world testing in New Bedford.T-Omega Wind/ X So far, TOW has only carried out wave-tank testing with a model at 1/60th of its true scale. The prototype showed promising results, confirming that the design allowed a full-scale version to withstand waves as high as 98 feet (30 m). Now, the company is entering the real-world testing scenario and has deployed a 1/16th scale prototype off the coast of New Bedford, Massachusetts. "Our team is thrilled to take this next step in launching our groundbreaking technology," said Brita Formato, CEO of TOW, in a press release. "Floating offshore wind is a critical energy source for reaching multiple state and federal goals by 2030. T-Omega Wind's radically redesigned floating offshore wind turbine will solve most of the challenges in an elegant and cost-effective manner."Details on how long the testing will last have not been revealed by the company, but we hope to see commercial versions of the turbines soon. As per the company's calculations, its Levelized Cost of Energy (LCoE) is around US$50 per megawatt-hour, which is around the same as offshore wind farms today, and we hope that its full-scale versions and economies of scale can bring this down further. 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