Japanese consortium to develop floating vertical axis wind turbines

A Japanese consortium has been selected by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), Japan’s national research and development agency, to conduct a feasibility study to develop its concept for a large-scale vertical axis floating wind turbine.  

The consortium comprises Albatross Technology, Electric Power Development, Tokyo Electric Power, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha and Sumitomo Heavy Industries Marine Engineering (SHI-ME).

The vertical axis wind turbine concept (pictured above) features a rotating cylindrical floating body, with the main rotating shaft floating directly on seawater. The wind turbine and the floating body rotate together.

Compared to conventional floating wind turbine designs with a horizontal wind turbine mounted on a tall tower, the vertical axis floating wind turbine concept allows heavy objects such as generators to be mounted below the turbine, resulting in a low centre of gravity, explains consortium partner Albatross. As there are no heavy objects on top, the support structure is lighter, facilitating tilting, which improves performance. The units are passively tilted according to the wind speed, but as they are self-standing like a fishing float, they will not capsize, it adds.  

Albatross also claims that larger vertical axis wind turbines could achieve the same efficiency as conventional, horizontal axis wind turbines. Furthermore, it says that while conventional fixed-bottom wind turbines are disposed of when a project ends, floating wind turbines are ‘like ships’ and can thus ‘be relocated and reused’.  

The future for UK offshore wind

Meanwhile, in the UK, The Crown Estate has highlighted its latest thinking on the Future of Offshore Wind, published on behalf of the Great British Energy: The Crown Estate partnership. 

The Crown Estate and Great British Energy, the UK’s new state-backed power company, announced their new partnership in late July, aimed at supporting the accelerated delivery of clean energy infrastructure in the UK. They plan to utilise the strengths of both organisations to bring to market an additional 20–30 GW of offshore wind leasing opportunity by 2030 – enough power for almost 20 million homes. The UK is a world leader in offshore wind, with the current pipeline standing at approximately 95 GW, including almost 15 GW already operational.

The new publication sets out an approach to leasing this additional 20–30 GW capacity for delivery out to 2030 and beyond, in support of the UK’s net zero and energy security ambitions. The partnership is seeking input and feedback from industry and wider stakeholders to help shape its approach to seabed leasing.

Much of the new offshore wind capacity is expected to be in areas of the Celtic Sea, which lies off the coasts of south Wales and south-west England, and north-east England. A number of smaller projects are also likely off the coasts of north Wales, north-west England, Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. The precise approach to development remains under consideration but is expected to include a mix of fixed and floating foundations.

The report also set out proposals to further de-risk the opportunity for developers and accelerate the deployment of new wind farms.

Vattenfall sets circular economy target for wind turbine permanent magnets

Also looking to the future, Vattenfall has announced a commitment to recycle all permanent magnets from its wind farms decommissioned from 2030 onwards. It claims to be the first developer to commit to a detailed circular economy target for these crucial components.

Permanent magnets are integral to wind turbine functionality, especially for direct drive turbines, and depending on size, turbines house between one to eight tonnes of these magnets. To put this into context, the amount of 1 tonne of permanent magnets would be sufficient for use in approximately 20,000 standard home loudspeakers.

These magnets contain rare earth elements that are valuable and in need of recycling due to their scarcity, sustainability impact and geopolitical supply risks. Vattenfall is developing circular solutions to reuse, refurbish, repurpose or recycle permanent magnets, looking to reduce reliance on raw materials and minimise the environmental and social impact of mining for the rare earth elements needed for new magnets.

As part of this initiative, Vattenfall has formed strategic partnerships with specialised recycling facilities and technology providers focused on rare earth element recovery, namely CAREMAG in France and North American company Cyclic Materials.

The circular target on permanent magnets complements Vattenfall’s circular target for wind turbine blades, where it has committed to a landfill ban on decommissioned wind turbine blades from owned wind farms and to recycle 100% of decommissioned blades by 2030.

‘The transition to circular economy at Vattenfall is a core element of reaching our net zero climate targets by 2040. Already today 85–90% of the materials used to construct a wind turbine is recycled and with these ambitious targets we aim at finding solutions for the remaining materials,’ says the company.

BMW Group trials wind energy innovation in UK first

In our final story looking at innovations in the wind sector, what is claimed to be the UK’s first ‘motionless’ wind energy system has been installed on the roof of BMW Group’s MINI manufacturing plant in Oxford.  

Aeromine Technologies has designed the wind energy unit, which is installed on the edge of a building, oriented towards the prevailing wind. The unit features wing-like vertical airfoils that create a vacuum effect, drawing air behind an internal propeller to generate clean electricity. Unlike traditional wind turbines, Aeromine says its bladeless design minimises noise and vibrations, ensuring no disturbance to buildings or the surrounding environment and with minimal impact on avian wildlife. Additionally, the unit is constructed from highly durable, recyclable materials.

The new wind energy unit is designed to complement the Oxford plant’s existing solar arrays. These solar panels are less effective during winter and evening hours, when wind conditions are often strongest – presenting an opportunity for the wind energy unit to step in and continue generating renewable energy.

What is claimed to be the UK’s first ‘motionless’ wind energy system has been installed on the roof of BMW Group’s MINI manufacturing plant in Oxford

Photo: Aeromine Technologies/BMW