Offshore Wind Port Scale-Up
Why can't existing US ports be used as is?
5
At smaller scales (1-2MW), demonstration projects
can be deployed
As the turbine size increases and project size
increases, using existing US Ports becomes more
challenging
➤ Foundations for the next generation (15MW)
turbines are generally larger than a football field
and around the height of a 10-story building.
➤ US ports typically do not have the available land
needed to fab foundations of this size and store
WTG's
Foundations have weights on the order of 4,000 to
20,000 metric tons. For comparison, a Boeing 747
weighs approximately 500 metric tons.
Existing ports typically do not have the capacity
for these loads
➤ Floating foundations need a mechanism for
launching (ramp or barge). There are no ports in
the US with this infrastructure
➤ The largest semi-sub barges in the world are
foreign flagged / not Jones Act Compliant
https://www.boa.no/floating-offshore-wind-pilot-project-for-sbm-offshore/View entire presentation