1,000-foot multi-rotor floating Windcatchers to power 80,000 homes each
Climate Change, Energy & PollutionSummary
Norwegian company Wind Catching System (WCS) debuts the world’s renewable energy scene with its 1000-foot tall windcatchers. Around the height of the Eiffel Tower, it is projected to generate 5 times the energy of the world’s largest single turbine and power 80,000 homes each. Unlike the traditional land wind turbine, the new invention is made up of multiple small rotors stacked together and installed on a floating platform in the ocean. By using small wind turbines instead of a single large one, it becomes more wind resistant, easier to maintain and has a longer service life than conventional design. Although relatively more expensive than land-based technology (wind, solar), the floating power generator could still be a cost-saver for offshore wind. Regarding concerns about the cost, the company says “(the windcatchers)... will become more economical as it scales up”.