TOWS Process

 

Solution Benefits

 

Objectives

• Cost Effective—Low $/kWh compared to other systems
• Safety and ease of installation and maintenance
• The Buoyant Tower substructure is proven technology based on oil and gas Spar platform
• The design is flexible in terms of water depth and environment

Innovation & Impact

The TOWS solves the following key problems in deep water in wind turbine installations:

• Provides a safe, reliable, low cost deep water platform which is cheaper to build, install, and maintain
• Provides a platform which is scalable to larger turbines and deeper water (up to 300m)

Key techno-economic challenges being solved:

• Varying depth tower design using ballast
• Flexible control system design which can be quickly adapted between different environmental conditions; tower, nacelle, and blade configurations
• Design of installation vessel which is flexible to support different offshore installations
• Design and analysis of taut guy mooring system
• Cost model development for various payloads (Wind Turbines) and water depths

Key Facts

• Tower is designed to be towed out in one piece
• Lower mass than a TLB, Spar-Buoy, or a Semi-Submersible
• Estimated each install offshore can be completed in less than one week
• Can be performed in an assembly line fashion
• TAI’s patented technology

TAI TOWS Brochure