Abstract
Deepwater and further offshore wind installations were seen as the next major market opportunity after nearshore and shallow sites were almost saturated. With objections to nearshore wind farms from recreational users of the shorefronts, and given the risks posed to migrating birds and possible obstructions to shipping lanes, deep offshore wind was seen as a safe bet. Anchoring turbines directly to the seabed at water depths greater than 50 m was found to be prohibitively expensive.