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ABSTRACT
Following the EC directives and corresponding National regulations under approval, the possibilities for deployment of marine energy conversion farms have been considered, with a focus on the floating wind generators as one of the most promising applications and advantages. The specifics of local climate, hydrology and geography along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast have been analyzed, based on long-term surveys, and three potential areas of deployment were recommended, keeping in mind restrictions imposed by the Natura 2000 network of nature protection areas as well as extensive marine traffic and comparatively high urbanization of coastline. Various floating wind generator solutions have been compared from the view point of design, construction, installation, operation and maintenance. The WindFloat semi-submersible design that has already been employed in many European projects is recommended as a favorable design. An assessment of the impact on the local economy as well as on the local communities has been made and optimal capacity of the wind energy park is proposed.
Keywords: wind energy, floating wind solution, Bulgarian Black Sea coast
INTRODUCTION
The world ocean covers about 70% of Earth surface and appears as an immense source of natural energy. At present, solar and wind energy extraction technologies are most promising, at least in land applications. First steps in marine wind energy utilization have been done in shallow coastal waters, but perspectives lay in expanding activity to deep waters distant from shore, to cope with urban and short sea transport expansion. Offshore solutions grant access to vast offshore wind resources, which are typically stronger and more consistent than onshore winds. Moreover, floating wind farms have the advantage of being scalable, allowing for larger installations in the future as technology and industry experience advances.
and de-carbonization goals [1]. The EC has issued directives and regulations to support the development of offshore wind, including floating wind farms. These directives focus on streamlining permitting processes, promoting cross-border cooperation, and establishing clear frameworks for offshore wind development. Europe's Green Deal sets itself the ambitious goal of making Europe the first carbon-neutral continent by 2050. Energy from offshore renewable sources, including energy from floating wind farms, has the potential to become the core of the European energy system.
Offshore wind energy has immense potential, particularly in regions with...