Hywind - World's First Floating Wind Farm to be Installed in Scotland

Statoil AS, Norway’s largest energy company wants to build a demonstration project of a floating wind farm off the Scottish coast.

Other areas considered by Statoil to test the commercial potential of the "Hywind" project are Norway and the U.S. state of Maine. The final decision on the location will be taken in 2011, said company spokesman, Oistein Johannessen.

The Norwegian company wants to build between three and five Hywind plants after it will choose the suitable site. A 2.3 MW prototype works “beyond expectations” at waters 200 metres deep, said Johannessen. The plants uses a Siemens AG turbine and a floating technology provided by France's Technip SA.

According to the company, the structure could be used in water up to 700 metres deep and is the first large-scale floating windmill in the world, Statoil said.