Blue Economy

Marine Energy Systems

Evaluating Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) for fixed-bottom vs. floating offshore wind, and tidal stream technologies.

The Floating Offshore Frontier

Traditional fixed-bottom wind turbines are limited to depths of approximately 50-60 meters. To unlock the massive wind resource potential in deeper waters (like the US West Coast or Japan), floating offshore wind (FLOW) is essential.

However, FLOW introduces complex engineering challenges regarding dynamic cabling and mooring systems, significantly increasing initial CAPEX compared to near-shore alternatives.

Global FLOW Pipeline

120 GW

LCOE Estimator (Offshore Wind)

Foundation Technology

Project Capacity (MW)

Capacity Factor (%)

Est. Levelized Cost

per MWh

Calculated via simplified CAPEX/OPEX assumptions. Does not include grid connection costs.

Tidal Stream Power

Tidal energy is highly predictable but requires extreme structural integrity due to water density (800x air).

Flow Velocity (m/s)

Rotor Radius (m)

Turbine Output

Green Ammonia Shipping penalty

Decarbonizing maritime transport via green ammonia drastically reduces cargo capacity due to lower energy density.

HFO Fuel Requirement (Tons)

Req. Ammonia

Tank Vol. Multiplier