Last year we were introduced to the first floating wind farm. The pioneering technology allows wind turbines to float on the water without the need for support and therefore can be placed at sea without extra construction. Conventional offshore wind turbines can only be installed at maximum water depths of 40 metres, however, this new innovative approach allows turbines to be placed in some of the windiest and therefore ideal offshore waters for power generation.
The higher up you go the stronger the winds get which explains why wind turbines are growing in size. However, one approach allows energy to be harnessed at far greater heights than wind turbines can reach. Kites are used at altitudes of around 800 - 1000 metres above the ground and are linked by two cables. Energy is generated at ground level by converting the tether tension acting on the cables using rotating mechanism and generators. The kites can fly in wind speeds of over 100mph!
Imagine working in one of the hottest places in the world where temperatures reach 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is a solar park in Dubai which rather than being maintained by personnel, drones are used as the eyes of the engineers preventing them from working in the unbearable heat. The drones can cast thermal imaging to the engineers, therefore, faults are discovered in hours rather than weeks. However, a drone cannot carry out the maintenance work (yet), and engineers are finding new ways of dealing with the extreme heat. GE solar invertors allow the engineers to work comfortably in the direct sunlight keeping them cool and able to work efficiently. Once the park is fully completed, it will be able to provide enough power to 250,000 homes in Dubai
Floating wind turbines
MARCH 2018 | MANE ENERGY | 11