The world’s first floating offshore wind farm, Hywind Scotland, has been in operation since 2017. On its fifth birthday, its operators shared how it’s going and what they’ve learned.
Hywind Scotland, a pilot project, is off the coast of Peterhead, the easternmost point in mainland Scotland, in Aberdeenshire.
It consists of five floating wind turbines with a total capacity of 30 megawatts (MW). It generates enough electricity to power the equivalent of 34,000 households in the UK. Its maximum height, base to turbine, is 253 meters (830 feet), and it’s located in a water depth of 95-120 meters (312-394 feet). It has a spar-type substructure.
Its operator, Norwegian power giant Equinor, claims that Hywind Scotland is the world’s best-performing offshore wind farm, achieving a capacity factor of 54% over its five years of operations. (For comparison, the University of Michigan’s Center for Sustainable Systems reported that offshore wind capacity factors are “expected to reach 51% by 2022 for new projects.”)
The company developed a floating wind turbine motion controller that it implemented at Hywind Scotland. The company says that the technology has resulted in “world-leading capacity factor performance,” despite the wind turbines’ movement due to floating.
Equinor also asserts that Hywind Scotland has achieved the highest average capacity factor of all UK offshore wind farms.
Equinor has also developed special training for onshore wind technicians so that they can operate and maintain Hywind Scotland and says that its operating staff has had no loss time injuries during the floating offshore wind farm’s time online.
William Munn, plant manager of Hywind Scotland at Equinor, explains what they’ve learned so far:
Operating the Hywind Scotland project for the past five years has informed Equinor of some of the unique challenges associated with a floating wind farm, and the rewards if we get it right.
Because of its location and the harsh weather conditions it encounters, Hywind Scotland has exposure to higher wind speeds than we typically see on a fixed-bottom wind farm, but also has to withstand large waves, while continuing to produce power with wave heights of 10 meters [33 feet].
Due to the environment, unique operations and maintenance methods have been required, such as a high-performance crew transfer vessel (CTV) that can continue operations in higher-than-standard transfer conditions.
As a pilot floating wind farm, Hywind Scotland is acting as a trailblazer, with much larger floating wind farms now in the pipeline.
Steinar Berge, head of floating wind at Equinor, said:
Equinor is the world’s most experienced operator and developer of floating wind, and is taking lessons learned from Hywind Scotland further toward global opportunities.
We are advancing plans to develop additional projects, including in South Korea, Australia, France, Spain, California, the UK’s Celtic Sea, and Norway.
Hywind Scotland provides Equinor with strong confidence in floating offshore wind technology and enables us to advance even-larger projects with a solid operational foundation, getting us closer to the ultimate aim of industrializing and commercializing floating wind.
Equinor’s Hywind Tampen, the world’s largest floating offshore wind farm, delivered its first power in November. It’s also Norway’s first floating offshore wind farm. When Hywind Tampen comes online in 2023, Equinor will operate about half the world’s total capacity of floating wind farms.
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If you thought the current GV60 looked pretty inside, wait until you see the updated model. Genesis unveiled the new GV60 earlier this month, its first major redesign since launching in 2021. Here’s our first look at the interior of the new Genesis GV60.
Genesis GV60 interior gets an upgrade in the new model
Genesis launched the GV60 in October 2021 as its first dedicated EV. Less than four years later, the luxury electric SUV is already getting a new look.
The luxury brand unveiled the new GV60 last week for the first time. One of the biggest updates is to the front end.
Although the GV60 is already a sporty-looking EV, the redesigned front bumper with a new 3-D shape takes it up another level. Then, add the signature Genesis Two Line headlamps with Micro Lens Array (MLA) tech, and the refreshed GV60 is a head turner.
The revamped model now features 21″ wheels with a new five-spoke design, complementing its wide, low stance.
Inside, the upgraded GV60 features its new 27″ connected car Integrated Cockpit (ccIC) infotainment system. The design “eliminates the bezel” between the driver display and infotainment screens.
The new Genesis GV60 interior also gains a redesigned three-spoke steering wheel for an even more sporty feel while you’re in the cockpit. Other popular features from the outgoing model, like the Crystal Sphere shift-by-wire system, are still included.
After revealing the updated model for the first time last week, we are already getting a look at the redesigned interior.
A new video from Korea’s HealerTV gives us our first look at the Genesis GV60 interior in a new blue color. Although the reporter initially thought it was a performance model, he noted it was just a new color option. Other added design elements, like the large quilting pattern on the side panels, give it that Bentley or Rolls-Royce feel.
Last week, HealerTV posted a video revealing the first look at the updated Genesis GV60 exterior design. You can see the redesigned front and rear bumpers add to the GV60’s already impressive look.
In the US, the 2025 Genesis GV60 starts at $52,350. A new AWD trim was introduced this year, starting at $55,850.
The current mode gets up to 294 miles driving range, but a bigger battery is expected to push that number closer to 300 miles in the 2025MY. It’s expected to feature the same 84 kWh battery as the updated 2025 IONIQ 5, which provides up to 318 miles range. That’s up from 303 miles in the previous model with a 77.4 kWh battery.
2025 Genesis GV60 trim
Range (EPA-est)
Starting Price*
Standard RWD
294 miles
$52,350
Standard AWD
264 miles
$55,850
Advanced AWD
248 miles
$60,900
Performance AWD
235 miles
$69,900
2025 Genesis GV60 prices and range by trim (*excluding $1,350 destination fee)
Genesis will launch the updated GV60 in Korea in the first quarter of the year, with overseas markets following shortly after. Check back for more info, including prices and specs, closer to launch.
What do you think about the new GV60 design? Do you like the changes? What would you change? Let us know in the comments below.
Amprius Technologies just unveiled a new SiCore cell built on its Silicon Anode Platform that boosts battery performance for EVs, electric aviation, and drones.
In late 2024, battery manufacturer Amprius delivered pre-production 10Ah samples to six customers for testing, and full commercialization is set for early 2025. If real-world tests deliver as promised, this battery could enable its customers to achieve superior range, speed, and reliability.
Amprius’s new SiCore cell delivers an energy density of 370 Wh/kg and a power output of over 3000 W/kg. That means it packs a ton of energy while also delivering power in bursts – ideal for scenarios where endurance and speed are equally critical.
The Fremont, California-based company says what makes its new SiCore cell unique is its flexibility. It handles high discharge rates of up to 10C without active cooling and 15C with cooling, making it a solid choice for extreme conditions. Think drones flying longer missions or electric aircraft nailing energy-draining takeoffs and landings.
According to Amprius customer Teledyne FLIR, which specializes in unmanned aerial systems, this battery could be a game-changer for its drones. Tung Ng, vice president of unmanned Systems North America at Teledyne FLIR, said, “We are eager to evaluate how this breakthrough technology can meet the rigorous needs of our defense, security, and industrial customers, enabling longer runtimes and increasing operational flexibility.”
EVs, advanced air mobility, and eVTOL aircraft also stand to benefit from the SiCore cell’s balance of high energy and high power. Dr. Ionel Stefan, Amprius’ CTO, described it as a breakthrough in the tricky trade-off between power and energy density, calling it “a new power possibility for high-demand applications.”
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If you are waiting on an EV from Chrysler, you’ll have to wait a little longer. The company is adjusting plans. Chrysler’s long-awaited electric crossover is officially on hold after an email leaked notifying suppliers of the changes. Here’s what to expect now.
Why is Chrysler’s electric crossover delayed again?
Despite announcing plans to have an all-electric lineup by 2028, Chrysler has yet to release a single EV. Now, it looks like it will be here even later than expected.
After an internal Stellantis email leaked last week, first reported by MoparInsiders, Chrysler confirmed it’s pausing its electric crossover. The email sent to suppliers said the program “has been put on hold until further notice.”
Chrysler’s electric crossover was initially scheduled to debut later this year, but the launch date has been pushed back.
At the 2023 Reuters Events Automotive USA Conference, Chrysler CEO Chris Feuell said the brand’s first EV will be a two-row crossover in 2025.
The electric crossover was expected to be an evolution of the Airflow concept from 2022. However, Stellantis’ head designer, Ralph Gilles, who oversees Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, and Maserati, said the EV was “evolving in a new direction” in November 2023.
Inspired by the Airflow, Chrysler’s electric crossover was supposed to be powered by the STLA Large platform, which also underpins the new Jeep Wagoneer S and Dodge Charger Daytona EVs.
The Airflow was based on Chrysler’s RU platform, used for the Pacifica Hybrid, but the company said the EV platform would offer more capabilities.
Chrysler revealed its new vision with the radical Haylcyon concept show last year. Earlier this year, a brand spokesperson confirmed to Car and Driver that “Chrysler brand CEO Chris Feuell has said that we are working to develop a production version of the Chrysler Halcyon concept at some point in the future.” However, no launch date was confirmed.
Electrek’s Take
Chrysler’s electric crossover being put on hold is the latest in a series of setbacks for Stellantis EV ambitions in the US.
Stellantis sales fell another 15% in the US last year, marking its fourth straight YOY sales decline in the US. Chrysler (-7%), Jeep (-9%), Ram (-19%), Dodge (-29%), and Alfa Romeo (-19%) all sold fewer vehicles last year than in 2023.
The first Jeep and Dodge EVs, which were expected to hit US dealerships by the end of 2024, are finally arriving after encountering software issues.
Is Stellantis in trouble in the US? Over the summer, former CEO Carlos Tavares told reporters that unprofitable US brands could be shut down. “If they don’t make money, we’ll shut them down,” he said.
Despite this, Feuell told CNBC a year ago, “Chrysler brand is here to stay. It is being well invested in. The brand is not on the table for elimination, and it has a very bright future.”
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