New industry readies for launch as researchers hone offshore wind turbines that float

By DAVID SHARP and JENNIFER McDERMOTT
Associated Press

ORONO, Maine (AP) — Researchers around the world are racing to create large wind turbines and floating platforms as upcoming lease auctions bring offshore wind closer to reality. Floating turbines are the only way for some countries and U.S. states to capture a massive amount of offshore wind energy. As the technology advances, it could help the world shift away from fossil fuels to cut planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions. In Maine, researchers are focusing on a simple platform that could be made with materials like concrete readily available around the world. Eventually, they envision turbines rising hundreds of feet tall and capable of producing 15 to 20 megawatts of electricity apiece.