On Office’s Turbine City

February 9, 2010
16 peeps like this.

On Office wants to take advantage of Norway’s weather, geography, resources and technology and harness this wind power. Their concept, Turbine City, would utilize offshore wind turbines as a means of creating potential for tourism. The proposal would see the integration of a hotel, spa and museum built in a turbine within an offshore wind farm. Just 1MW from 8MW turbines would be enough to power the entire facility. The proposal of this idea could bring tourists, sailors, offshore oil-workers and cruiseships to the area, where people would be able to experience first hand the advantages and the spectacle of turbines, increasing awareness and support of this endeavour.
On Office justifies the location of this initiative, and addresses opposition to their proposal as follows:

Norway is considered to have the best conditions in the world for utilizing offshore wind power. The coastline of Stavanger, Norway is the longest and windiest in Europe and is largely unsaturated with turbines. The oil industry has given the country expertise in offshore foundations as well as investment capital to pursue this. Norway has half of Europe’s hydropower to couple wind power. the EU Commission has committed to deriving 20% of its total energy consumption from renewable sources by 2020. Norway has the capacity to surpass this goal and become an exporter of the EU’s newest tradeable good – renewable energy. Norway needs a way to propel wind power via a flagship wind farm to promote and celebrate its investment.