European offshore wind projects confront challenging seas.

• Author: Block, Ben
• Position: EYE ON EARTH - Brief article

Offshore wind energy developers in Europe have found that mastering turbulent seas and harsh weather is more difficult than many expected, especially as facilities are built farther from the coast and rely on larger turbines.

Denmark's Horns Rev 2, the world's largest offshore wind project, was inaugurated last September after two months of weather delays. The London Array, an even more ambitious 1 gigawatt project, is still on track but has neared financial ruin on several occasions. Alpha...