Eco Factor: Wind energy over earth’s oceans is an efficient way to generate renewable energy.
Offshore wind farms are not a new concept in the renewable energy field and Europe has already made several developments in the technology, which promises better returns than onshore farms being built all over the globe. A new study conducted by UCI Earth scientists hint that the amount of energy generated by similar farms can be enhanced substantially if the wind energy about 80 meters above the surface of the ocean is harnessed.
Scientists have figured out that more than 50% more power is available at a height of 80 meters than what is generated at a height of 10 meters. The stability of wind at that height coupled with the low temperatures of water lead to the findings. Ocean turbines are typically placed in water up to 40 meters because they need to be close to the shore so that the energy generated can easily be transported and the wind turbines can also be easily anchored to the ocean’s floor.
The new study promises better returns if just the wind turbines are built on tall towers so that they can harness the stable winds for more energy. Global calculations estimate the average global ocean wind power at 841W for every square meter swept by the blades, which means that a single wind turbine produced about a million watts of renewable power which can be used to power 1,000 homes.
Via: Physorg
