SeaTwirl
SeaTwirl has a simple robust design, few moving parts and can be placed at deeper waters with good wind conditions. SeaTwirl is built for the ocean.
SeaTwirl is a floating vertical axis wind turbine placed offshore. The vertical axis wind turbine is fixed on a underwater gravity-based structure that reaches deep down under the surface. The underwater structure contains a buoyancy part and in its lowest point weight part. This makes the structure stable. The full body from the wind turbine in the top to the lowest underwater weight part is rotating as one piece and all it´s weight is carried up by the water.
To translate the kinetic energy into electrical energy a generator is placed around the rotating tower. The generator is placed above the sea level and is held at place using anchoring to the bottom of the sea. Since Sea Twirl is using a anchoring method it may be placed on deep waters
It looks to me like this concept has plenty of room for improvement. I'm curious as to why these things are only shown operating in smooth water, and I'm anxious to see what kind of anti-fouling measures they use.
/fl