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World's First Floating Windfarm To Take Shape Off Coast of Scotland (theguardian.com)
An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Guardian: The world's first floating windfarm has taken to the seas in a sign that a technology once confined to research and development drawing boards is finally ready to unlock expanses of ocean for generating renewable power. After two turbines were floated this week, five now bob gently in the deep waters of a fjord on the western coast of Norway ready to be tugged across the North Sea to their final destination off north-east Scotland. The ~$256 million Hywind project is unusual not just because of the pioneering technology involved, which uses a 78-meter-tall underwater ballast and three mooring lines that will be attached to the seabed to keep the turbines upright. It is also notable because the developer is not a renewable energy firm but Norway's Statoil, which is looking to diversify away from carbon-based fuels.
Installed cost of over $8500 per kW.
It is expensive because it is the first of its kind. We will learn from it, and version 2.0 will be better.
A gas fired combined cycle plant runs from $500 to $1000 per kW.
That is the installation cost. You still have to buy gas. Of course the gas will be cheaper because that is mature technology, and many of the costs are externalized.
Absolutely stupid.
If you only look at the short term gain, yes. If you consider the long term, including the value of knowledge, then no.