Advantages of Offshore Commercial Wind Turbines - By: Mark Anthony Dalton

Many energy experts agree that the majority of future commercial wind turbines will be erected offshore. The European Union, EU has already started huge offshore wind power expansion, with China not far behind while United States is seriously considering this clean energy option. Offshore wind energy projects are not entirely similar to wind energy projects on land when it comes to advantages. Offshore wind turbines are today more preferred than their land counterparts due to a number of reasons and benefits. A large percentage of the world is leading wind turbine manufacturers are opting for offshore than on land.

Offshore commercial wind turbines have one big advantage over those on land, namely more frequent and more powerful winds. Some recent studies have showed that offshore winds blow 40 percent more often offshore than on land, which means that offshore wind farms can relatively easy outpace wind projects on land in terms of installed capacity. To prove this, it is a well-known fact that Tsunamis, hurricanes and other ocean related natural disaster are the most destructive in the world. These powerful natural occurrences are usually caused by strong winds blowing in the oceans. However, tornados are natural phenomenons that are alien in some parts of the world.

Offshore wind farms have significantly smaller negative impact on the landscape compared to wind farms on land. This is because most offshore wind farms are not visible, and if they are then they are usually barely visible from shore. From the environmental point of view, when constructing offshore wind farms constructors have to make sure not to disturb nearby marine ecosystems too much. The constructors also must be careful not to build offshore wind farms in areas where they would interfere with shipping lanes, or in fishing areas. Thus, the care that goes in to the construction of offshore commercial wind turbines makes them friendlier to the ecosystem.

Another advantage that offshore commercial wind turbines have over those erected on land is transport. The transport of big wind turbine components such as tower sections, nacelles, and blades is easier with ships. This is because ships are able to handle large cargo more easily than trucks or trains, and there is no traffic jam on sea like there is on land. In addition, transporting these huge turbine components can lead to destruction of roads and accidents which in turn lead to loss of life.

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This article is about "Advantages of Offshore Commercial Wind Turbines" and was written by Enviko Commercial Wind Turbines & Wind Turbines.

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