Energy & Science
Waves and Seaweed Challenge France’s Plans for Floating Wind
- Sea swell and ‘biofouling’ can harm electrical equipment
- French grid operator mulls floating substation for 2 projects
This article is for subscribers only.
Floating wind energy projects could open up vast areas of the world’s oceans to produce carbon-free power. But developers must first solve two key technical problems, according to France’s electric-grid operator.
Sea swell can cause vibrations that harm floating-substation equipment, while cables can be damaged by a buildup of shells and seaweed, Reseau de Transport d’Electricite said. These issues must be tackled before floating wind can succeed on a large scale, and RTE is among operators trying to fix them.