This document discusses the history and future of offshore wind farms. It begins with an introduction to the wind industry and its history, discussing early windmills used for tasks like pumping water. It then covers the "anatomy" of modern offshore wind turbines, including components like blades, towers, and electrical systems. The document also provides a "geography lesson" on offshore wind, reviewing the development of various offshore wind farms over the past few decades. Finally, it addresses the future of offshore wind energy and argues it can deliver cost reductions through improved health and safety, supply chain growth, and reduced capital and operating expenses.

1. Offshore Wind Farms:
can the wind industry deliver (again)?
Bruce Valpy
Joseph Swan Memorial Lecture, 19 October 2010

2. 2© BVG Associates 2010
All the below available online. BVG Associates
contactable via info@bvgassociates.co.uk to
request use of any material.

3. 3© BVG Associates 2010

4. 1. Wind industry introduction
• Facts and figures
2. History lesson
• Meet the ancestors
• Famous battles
3. Anatomy lesson
4. Geography lesson
5. The future: “Can do”
Today
4© BVG Associates 2010

5. 1. Wind industry introduction
• Facts and figures
2. History lesson
• Meet the ancestors
• Famous battles
3. Anatomy lesson
4. Geography lesson
5. The future: “Can do”
Today
5© BVG Associates 2010

12. 12

13. History Lesson 1:
meet the ancestors
13© BVG Associates 2010

14. History - Meet the Ancestors 1000BC
Nile Delta
First
windmills
© BVG Associates 2010 14

15. Meet the Ancestors
500BC
Persia
Panemones
common
Pumping
water
© BVG Associates 2010 15

16. Meet the Ancestors
Crete
Pumping water
and grinding
1000AD
© BVG Associates 2010 16

17. Meet the Ancestors
Jack & Jill
in Sussex
First UK windmill
in Weedly, Yorkshire
in 1185
1821
17© BVG Associates 2010

18. 1800’s
US
Pumping
water
Meet the Ancestors
18© BVG Associates 2010

19. 1941
US
Grampa’s
Knob
1st grid
connection
Meet the Ancestors
19

20. 1982
UK
First
composite
blades
Meet the Ancestors
© BVG Associates 2010 20

21. Global
$80bn
business
Vestas
employs
25,000
2010
Meet the Ancestors
© BVG Associates 2010 21

22. Recent History: 1st Battle - Axis of Rotation
No longer a teenager...
10
100
1,000
10,000
100,000
1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015
TurbineRating(kW)
Year of Introduction
Historical
Extrapolation
Onshore Forecast
Offshore Forecast
22© BVG Associates 2010

23. History Lesson 2:
Famous battles
23© BVG Associates 2010

24. 1st famous battle: 3 blades vs 2
Recent History: 2nd Battle – Number of Blades
© BVG Associates 2010 24

25. Recent History: 1st Battle - Axis of Rotation
2nd famous battle: horizontal axis vs vertical
25© BVG Associates 2010

26. Recent History: End of Dominance of Stall
3rd famous battle: stall vs pitch control
26© BVG Associates 2010

27. Recent History: Return of Downwind & Compliant Turbines?
4th famous battle: upwind vs downwind
27© BVG Associates 2010

28. Recent History: Return of Downwind & Compliant Turbines?
5th famous battle: fixed vs variable speed
28© BVG Associates 2010

29. Recent History: Return of Downwind & Compliant Turbines?
6th famous battle: geared vs direct-drive

30. Anatomy lesson
30© BVG Associates 2010

31. Blades
Hub
Gearbox
Yaw
system
Generator
Control
system,
converter &
transformer
Tower
Anatomy of a Wind Turbine
€
V90-3MW
31© BVG Associates 2010

32. Blades
Hub
Gearbox
Yaw
system
Generator
Control
system,
converter &
transformer
Tower
Tower
16%
Nacelle
& yaw
system
13%
Hub
9%
Gearbox
20%
Blades
23%
Electric
& control
system
19%
Anatomy of a Wind Turbine
€
32© BVG Associates 2010

33. Rotor
40-150T
Naelle
70-330T
Tower
200-400T
Rotor
Nacelle
Tower
Mass
Anatomy of a Wind Turbine
33© BVG Associates 2010

34. Blades
Anatomy of a Wind Turbine
0
5
10
15
20
25
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
BladeMass(T)
Blade Length (m)
1996 Technology
2001 Technology
2005 Technology
34© BVG Associates 2010

35. Blades
Hub
Anatomy of a Wind Turbine
35© BVG Associates 2010

36. Blades
Hub
€
Anatomy of a Wind Turbine
36© BVG Associates 2010

37. Blades
Hub Nacelle
Yaw
system
Anatomy of a Wind Turbine
37© BVG Associates 2010

38. Inside – Novel Nacelles (High Speed Generators)
38© BVG Associates 2010

39. Inside – Novel Nacelles (Mid Speed Generators)
39© BVG Associates 2010

40. Inside – Novel Nacelles (Direct-Drive Generators)
40© BVG Associates 2010

41. Blades
Hub
Gearbox
Yaw
system
Generator
Control
system,
converter &
transformer
Tower
Anatomy of a Wind Turbine
© BVG Associates 2009
41© BVG Associates 2010

42. 42© BVG Associates 2010
Geography lesson

43. >9m/s
8-9m/s
>7-8m/s
>5.5-7m/s
43© BVG Associates 2010

44. 1990
Norgersund (SE)
1 x 220kW© BVG Associates 2010

45. 1991
Vindeby (DK)
11 x 450kW© BVG Associates 2010

46. rest of 1990s
4 projects
26MW© BVG Associates 2010

47. 2002
Horns Rev 1
80 x 2MW© BVG Associates 2010

48. 2005
Kentish Flats (UK)
30 x 3MW© BVG Associates 2010

49. 2007
Beatrice Demonstration (UK)
2 x 5MW© BVG Associates 2010

50. 2010
Thanet (UK)
100 x 3MW© BVG Associates 2010

51. 51© BVG Associates 2010

52. 52© BVG Associates 2010

53. Development & Consent
3.0%
Turbine
29.0%
Balance of Plant
22.5%
Installation & Commissioning
19.5%
Operation & Maintenance
26.0%
1.4%
1.4%
0.2%
5.9%
19.4%
3.8%
2.6%
17.8%
2.0%
3.2%
14.6%
1.8%
9.1%
15.1%
1.8%
OffshoreWind Farm CAPEX Cost of Energy Breakdown
53© BVG Associates 2010

54. 54© BVG Associates 2010

55. “Can do...” What?
1. Do Health & Safety excellently
55© BVG Associates 2010

56. “Can do...” What?
1. Do Health & Safety excellently
2. Massive supply chain growth
56© BVG Associates 2010

57. “Can do...” What?
1. Do Health & Safety excellently
2. Massive supply chain growth
3. Improve CAPEX costs significantly
57© BVG Associates 2010

59. “Can do...” What?
1. Do Health & Safety excellently
2. Massive supply chain growth
3. Improve CAPEX costs significantly
59© BVG Associates 2010

60. 60© BVG Associates 2010
“Can do...” What?
1. Do Health & Safety excellently
2. Massive supply chain growth
3. Improve CAPEX costs significantly
4. Improve Installation & OPEX costs more

62. 62© BVG Associates 2010