Feasibility Study for Floating Offshore Wind in the Arabian Gulf

Donnelly, Orla; Carroll, James; AbuHijleh, Bassam

Feasibility Study for Floating Offshore Wind in the Arabian Gulf

Date

2022

Authors

Donnelly, Orla

Carroll, James

AbuHijleh, Bassam

Abstract

Wind energy is a largely untapped resource in the Middle East region. With a growing understanding of wind technology globally, offshore wind could be a viable energy source in the Arabian Gulf. This study focuses on the concept of floating offshore wind for the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It’s purpose is to evaluate the wind resource at different four site locations off the coast of the UAE and subsequently do a complete cost analysis for a theoretical floating offshore wind farm. This analysis will contain two different types of turbines, 3.45MW and 5MW, and two different types of floater technologies for the platforms, tensioned leg platform (TLP) and semisubmersible (SS). The viability of the different scenarios will be based on the final LCOE estimation. A short comparative conclusion will be made on feasibility by changing location of the wind farm to a site off the coast of Scotland in the North Sea. A comparison will also be made to the leading renewable source in the UAE, solar PV.