Japan plans floating wind power for Fukushima coast

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/13/us-japan-wind-idUSTRE78C41M20110913

Japan plans floating wind power for Fukushima coast

TOKYO | Tue Sep 13, 2011 10:37am EDT

(Reuters) - Japan will join the race to develop floating wind turbines to use in deepwater off its tsunami-stricken northern Pacific coast as it rethinks energy sources after the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

…

"In order to take lead in offshore wind power, we want domestic studies and developments to take place and manufacturers to boost capabilities," said Sato.

"From the viewpoint of supporting reconstruction and promoting wind power, we believe it is good to pursue research and development for offshore wind farms," he said.

…

After the initial five-year programme, the trade ministry hopes to develop as early as 2020 an offshore wind farm off the northeastern coast with the capacity of about 1,000 Megawatts, said Hiroyuki Iijima, another official at the trade ministry.
…

[dixiegrrrrl]

1. But what about the radiation in that area?

[OKIsItJustMe]

2. I don’t think the turbines will mind much

I think it’s safe to assume they won’t erect them right next to the reactors.

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. The radiation is spread out as much as 100 miles from the reactors

according to last report, and TEPCO admitted that to an extra ordinarily high amount of radioactive water dumped into the sea off the coast.
"Currently" no one knows where the sea water radiation has gone to, how close, how far from the coast.

[OKIsItJustMe]

4. Now, the question is

How great a hazard would that represent to a worker installing a floating wind turbine at some given location?

What if that worker wore some sort of protective clothing?

[kristopher]

5. The problem is the way toxins settle to the seafloor where it enters the foodchain

Japan (as I'm sure you know) harvests a lot of products from the ocean.

Take a look at this iconic pollution case to see the lens through which most Japanese view the contamination going into the ocean.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=115x285731

http://www.einap.org/envdis/Minamata.html

http://aileenarchive.or.jp/minamata_en/slides/index.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minamata_disease

[Yo_Mama]

6. Some background on floating turbines

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floating_wind_turbine

The idea isn't new but the implementation is.

[madokie]

7. My concern would be

Tsunami meet floating wind farm, floating wind farm meet Tsunami
Isn't there a pretty good or bad, whichever, chance of another quake and tsunami in that area? Wouldn't a tsunami of the magnitude that hit on march 11 tear the hell out of all things in its path or is it only a big wave out in the open water and only gets dangerous near land?
I really don't know

[bananas]

8. Tsunami's only become destructive in shallow water

Tsunamis have a small amplitude (wave height) offshore, and a very long wavelength (often hundreds of kilometers long, whereas normal ocean waves have a wavelength of only 30 or 40 metres),<21> which is why they generally pass unnoticed at sea, forming only a slight swell usually about 300 millimetres (12 in) above the normal sea surface. They grow in height when they reach shallower water, in a wave shoaling process described below. A tsunami can occur in any tidal state and even at low tide can still inundate coastal areas.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsunami

[madokie]

9. OK thanks

[Nihil]

10. As Bananas said, tsunamis aren't a problem ...

... typhoons, however, are a different kettle of fish ...