A Three Phase Project

In 2016, Keuka Energy started Phase I construction on an offshore floating wind project to show the financial incentives of using wind energy to compress and cool air to a liquid state of stored energy. Once completed, the liquid will then be transported and used to produce renewable electricity. The system is basically a v-shaped floating platform that stores 330,000 m3 of liquid air and supports a 235,000 HP wind farm comprised of 14 Rimdrive wind machines. Our belief in its success is based on the following assumptions:

  1. The Rimdrive wind turbine has undergone extensive testing to confirm that the system is approximately one-fourth the capital cost per/MW of conventional offshore three-blade machines. When it drives air compressors in lieu of generators, the resulting compressed air has a cost of approximately one-tenth that of using electricity to compress air.
  2. No other existing wind machine can liquefy air at the competitive costs needed to compete with natural gas.
  3. Keuka Energy and its industrial partners are all successful businesses with years of experience.
  4. Other than the Rimdrive turbines, the entire system is comprised of elements that are existing and well known technologies with global availability.

Phase 1

Phase I: is a 33,500 HP system producing 9.75MW’s of stored energy.

The construction will take place in three locations and be delivered for assembly to Georgetown, S.C.

The floating cryogenic platform will be produced in Andrews, South Carolina by “3-D Metal Works” to be assembled in the Port of Georgetown.

The two Rimdrive wind machines will be produced by Keuka Energy will deliver two wind machines to the Port of Georgetown for installation on the platform.

The re-gas facility and the anchoring system will be furnished by “Concrete Docks” of Palatka, Florida, and delivered to the Port of Georgetown.

When completed, the platform will be towed offshore to begin production of liquid air. The air will be stored in the platform, which has berthing for 2 cryogenic tankers. Tankers will load and transport the liquid air to a re-gas facility near Andrews, South Carolina.

Phase 2

Phase II: is a 235,000 HP system producing 68.25MW’s of stored energy.

The construction will take place in the same location and by the same companies as Phase I but will not need another re-gas facility or anchoring system. Then another 12 Rimdrive wind machines and 12 cryogenic platform tanks will be produced and delivered like in Phase I. The wind machines and platform tanks will be towed to and installed on the Phase I wind farm, making it a 175MW/ 235,000 HP wind farm to produce approximately 68.25 MW’s of electricity (allowing for a wind factor of 39%).

It is reasonable to assume, considering economy of scale and competitive bidding, that the price of future systems will be 10-20% lower than those of phase I and II.

Phase 3

Phase III: The U.S. had a 1,060 GW generation capacity in 2015 with a consumption of approx. 537 GW (which isn’t counting some private generation). To supply this amount of power would take 15,531 wind farms.

The 2015 usage of 537 GW at $.05/KW hour would have a yearly income (less O&M) of $235.2 billion. This should pay off the capital cost plus interest in 8.5 years while allowing the average utility to increase its earnings by 6%. After 9 years, the cost of renewable electricity would be lower than that of electricity produced by fossil fuels today.

If this project were done on a national scale, in 9 years the U.S. would cut its emissions by approximately 50%.