The US has plans to install 86 GW worth of commercial wind turbine generators, which are placed 20 to 30 miles out to sea and float on concrete foundations, according to the Global Wind Energy Council. Turbines are capable of harvesting some of the strongest winds in the world when they are placed at deepwater offshore sites. But there is a catch: these turbines must be located within 200 nautical miles from shore, or else their blades will not generate enough power for the grid.
The US has plans to install 86 GW worth of commercial wind turbine generators, which are placed 20 to 30 miles out to sea and float on concrete foundations, according to the Global Wind Energy Council. Turbines are capable of harvesting some of the strongest winds in the world when they are placed at deepwater offshore sites. Some 43 GW of new offshore wind capacity will serve population centres on the coast of the US, according to the American Wind Energy Association.