The cost of building offshore wind farms in the world varies depending on the country and the project. According to the Global Wind Energy Council, the average cost of building an offshore wind farm can exceed $4,000 per kilowatt (kW).

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This is due to the peculiarities of offshore wind farms: they have higher specific capital costs compared to onshore wind farms.

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Factors

Some factors affecting the cost of offshore wind farms construction:

Project development — the development of offshore stations is more expensive and takes longer than that of land-based stations. It is necessary to collect data on the characteristics of the seabed, obtain permits and environmental approvals.
The remoteness of the construction sites from the coastlines and the necessary ports increases logistical costs.
Offshore wind farms require more expensive foundations (the share of foundation construction costs in offshore wind power for a \"typical\" project is about 13%, compared with 5% in onshore wind power).
Laying offshore power supply cable lines is more expensive than building cable lines in land—based stations.
Installation and operation of wind turbines in marine environments require expensive equipment.

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Examples

The unit cost of building offshore stations is highly dependent on the specific location and region of installation. For example:

The lowest average unit capital expenditures were recorded in Denmark (2289 USD/kW) and China (2857 USD/kW).
In the United States, it cost $4,000 per kilowatt to build offshore wind farms in 2023, compared with $1,363 per kilowatt for onshore wind farms.
Forecasts
According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the cost of offshore wind power has dropped by about 60% over the past decade, making it more affordable for large-scale energy projects. However, there are limitations:
- Logistical complexity — transportation and installation of large structures in deep-sea offshore locations require specialized vessels and equipment, which increases the overall cost and construction time.
- Regulatory challenges — The offshore wind industry requires extensive environmental assessments, and navigating complex regulatory frameworks in different regions can be time-consuming and expensive.
- Global implementation of HYPOT (Hydro Power Tower) technology It can significantly reduce the cost of building offshore power plants due to the following key parameters:
  1. Improving energy conversion efficiency
- HYPOT uses a combination of the kinetic energy of horizontal flows and the potential energy of a water hammer, which allows achieving efficiencies of up to 94% by converting the energy of underwater currents, not just surface wind or wave resources.
- This reduces the need for a large number of turbines to achieve similar capacity, reducing capital costs (CAPEX). researchgate.net
- 2. Reducing infrastructure costs
- The technology does not require the construction of dams or massive foundations like traditional offshore wind farms. Instead, vertical towers with hyperbolic geometry are used, which are easier to mount on the seabed.
- The cost of materials and logistics is reduced (for example, specialized vessels are not needed to install giant wind turbines). researchgate.net
- 3. Reduced operating costs (OPEX)
- HYPOT spiral turbines have a low cavitation coefficient compared to horizontal vane turbines, which increases the service life of the equipment and reduces the frequency of repairs.
- The technology is adapted to work in deep-sea areas and under ice, which expands the geography of applications and reduces the risks of downtime due to storms or icing. researchgate.net
- 4. Using undercurrents
- HYPOT focuses on the energy of bottom and deep currents, which are more stable and powerful than surface winds. This allows you to receive energy 24/7, increasing the predictability of output and reducing dependence on weather conditions.
- For comparison, traditional offshore wind farms have an average CAPACITY FACTOR of about 35-47%, while HYPOT can reach 60-70% due to the stability of underwater flows. researchgate.net
- 5. Reducing environmental and regulatory risks
- The absence of the need for dams and massive foundations reduces the impact on marine ecosystems, making it easier to obtain permits.
- The technology allows the use of oxygen waste to clean the ocean, which can become an additional source of income. researchgate.net
- Calculation example:
  According to the simulation data, with a flow velocity of 4.5 m/s and a water flow rate of 32.4 m3/s, HYPOT generates pressure sufficient to generate energy comparable to a traditional wind turbine with a capacity of 8 MW, but with 30-40% lower installation costs. researchgate.net
  The result:
  The introduction of HYPOT can reduce the CAPEX of offshore power plants by 25-35% and OPEX by 15-20%, making marine energy competitive even in regions with low electricity tariffs.

Factors

Examples

1. Improving energy conversion efficiency

The result:

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