Floating turbine buoys offshore wind potential

By Eoghan Macguire, for CNN

June 28, 2012 -- Updated 0928 GMT (1728 HKT)

A floating wind turbine has been inaugurated off the coast of Agucadoura, Portugal.

HIDE CAPTION

Floating turbine tested in Portugal

<<

<

1

2

3

4

5

6

>

>>

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• A floating wind turbine has been inaugurated off the coast of Agucadoura, Portugal
• The 54-meter tall structure can produce enough energy to power 1,300 households
• The consortium behind the turbine hope to install five more devices to create the world's first ever floating wind farm

(CNN) -- Floating wind farms could soon be powering thousands of European homes after a prototype seaborne turbine sailed through technological trials off the coast of Agucadoura, Portugal.

The 54-meter tall renewable structure sits atop a semi-submersible platform known as a WindFloat situated five kilometers from shore.

It has been manufactured by WindPlus, a consortium of energy and clean-tech companies including Principle Power, Energias de Portugal and Vestas.

The group hopes their primary success will help secure European Union funding to add another five turbines alongside the existing model, engendering greater electrical production.

"The (initial) turbine is capable of producing 2MW (megawatts) instantaneously at any one time, given enough wind," says Alla Weinstein, CEO of Principal Power.

"This is equivalent to 1,300 households. The cumulative production thus far in Portugal has been 1.7GWh (gigawatt hours)," she adds.