Norway's WorldWideWind: Revolutionizing Offshore Wind Energy with Innovative Turbine Design
Offshore wind energy is fast becoming a major player in the quest for net-zero emissions, and Norway's WorldWideWind (WWW) is at the forefront of the industry with its innovative contra-rotating vertical turbine (CRVT) design. Founded by Norwegian serial entrepreneur Stian Valentin Knutsen, WWW is rapidly gaining attention for its revolutionary design that has the potential to be the "floating wind's Tesla moment," according to Recharge News.
The Innovative CRVT Design
The CRVT design is the brainchild of Knutsen and chief technology officer Hans Bernhoff. The offshore wind turbines by WWW feature an environmentally friendly design that has less impact on wildlife. The vertical axis turbines have a low speed of the rotor blade's wing tip, preventing bird strikes. In addition, the design allows for increased use of recyclable materials.
Lower Wake and Increased Energy Density
The innovative design of the offshore wind turbines by WWW allows for significant lower wake, less wake turbulence, and wind channeled down to sea level. The distance between turbines can be further reduced by 50%, increasing the number of turbines possible for a given sea area by 2 times, resulting in increased energy density.
How Does it Work?
The turbines have fewer components, with the generator below sea level. Two main counter-rotating components, blades/turbine, shaft, and mast, generator, are used, with the generator in the bottom as a stabilizer and counterweight. The rotor and stator counter-rotate, with the blades/rotor having a 3-dimensional trajectory (swept area as a cone). Struts add to wind energy capture and capture efficiency. The turbine uses direct drive, with no gear.
Why Offshore Wind and Why WorldWideWind?
Traditional horizontal-axis turbines are sub-optimal for floating wind, as their design is based on onshore applications. Eighty percent of offshore wind is at deep sea, and a future-proof design and technology for floating wind is needed. WWW develops an integrated turbine specifically designed for offshore floating wind power based on first-principle physics, with two counter-rotating turbines and tilted mast in concert with wind and elements.
WWW's design has advantages along all key dimensions, with 30% reduced weight and capex, LCOE below 50 USD/MWh, scalability up to 40MW, and a simplified supply chain. The company collaborates with wind farm developers, sustainability funds, industrial locomotives, and local communities, allowing for a large degree of local value creation and content.
The Race to Netzero
As the world races to achieve net-zero emissions, offshore wind energy is poised to play a significant role. WorldWideWind's innovative turbine design offers a solution for capturing wind energy at deep sea. With its revolutionary CRVT design and its commitment to sustainability, WorldWideWind is leading the charge for offshore wind energy.