Producing energy from an offshore wind farm provides major advantages and opportunities that are extremely attractive for investors and owners.
You may have heard that an offshore wind farm has a higher cost than onshore wind installations. This is because it requires advanced-technology foundation works in the sea (for permanent wind farms) as well as technicians with higher qualifications for its installation.
Despite this higher outlay, the possibilities and opportunities of offshore wind energy make it a technology with tremendous potential.
Advantages and opportunities of offshore wind farms
1. They can generate up to twice as much energy as an onshore wind farm. Ocean winds are stronger, faster and more stable. There are no barriers or obstacles around an offshore wind farm that can interfere with the wind flow, so an offshore installation will produce more energy during its useful life cycle than a wind farm located in a flatland area.
2. They have a very low visual and acoustic impact. Usually installed far away from coastline, wind turbines do not alter the terrestrial landscape nor cause noise pollution. An optimal distance from the coastline can make a wind farm in the sea practically imperceptible.
3. They have a high capacity to produce energy. Offshore wind farms work with wind turbines that are much larger than those on land. Why? The ease of maritime transport makes this possible, which means we can increase the installed capacity without multiplying the number of wind turbines.
4. They guarantee the generation of renewable energy in markets with a high population density or very limited land. There are markets where the installation of onshore wind power is not viable due to their limited size. For example, offshore wind farms are a great resource for islands such as the United Kingdom and Japan, or small countries such as Denmark.
5. They save millions of tons of CO2 over the lifetime of the facility. An offshore wind farm can last approximately 20 to 25 years. With high-efficiency, high-tech generators it could save the planet 40 million tons of CO2 from being produced.
Did you know about the opportunities that an offshore wind farm offers? Tell us about it and if you need help, the Vector Renewables team will advise you in any of the areas you need throughout the life cycle of your offshore wind farm.