Enova, set up by the Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy (MPE) to promote environmentally friendly restructuring of energy consumption and energy generation in Norway, says the wind turbine is to be tested onshore for two years.
The rotor diameter is 145 m and the offshore wind turbine will have a floating tower. According to Sway, the tower is a pole filled with ballast beneath the water creating low centre of gravity. It will be anchored to the seabed with a single pipe and a suction anchor.
The offshore wind turbine can tilt 5-8°, and turns around a subsea swivel with the wind.
Sway is not the only company developing 10 MW wind turbines. Clipper Windpower is developing its 10 MW Britannia project scheduled for deployment in 2011. It is a geared wind turbine with blades over 70 m long, and the whole structure is 175 m high.
American Superconductor (AMSC) is also looking into a 10 MW offshore wind turbine.
