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October 2012 www.sname.org/sname/mt Published by the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers 601 Pavonia Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306 Phone: 201-798-4800 Fax: 201-798-4975 www.sname.org/sname/mt Edward Comstock President ecomstock@sname.org Erik Seither Executive Director eseither@sname.org Susan Evans Grove Publications Director sevans@sname.org Douglas R. Kelly Editor dkelly@sname.org Alan Rowen Book Review Editor arowen@sname.org Dave Weidner, Advertising Sales advertising@sname.org Tommie-Anne Faix, Publications Sales Associate tfaix@sname.org Editorial Advisory Board Design Bates Creative Group, Silver Spring, MD O cers of the Society Edward Comstock, President Erik Seither, Execu tive Director Bruce Rosenblatt, Treasurer Regional Vice Presidents 2012: Paci?c: Gary Thompson Atlantic North: William Caliendo 2013: Central & Gulf: Joseph H. Comer, III Atlantic South: H. Paul Cojeen International: John Kokarakis 2014:William B. Hale John Volc2015:Atlantic South: Robert J. Gies Central & Gulf: Scott C. McClure International: Harilaos N. Psaraftis Publication in (mt) Marine Technology does not constitute an endorsement of any product or service referred to, nor does publication of an advertisement represent an endorsement by the Society of Na val Architects and Marine Engineers or the magazine. All articles represent the viewpoints of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Society of Naval Archit ects and Marine Engineers, or the magazine. Subscriptions: (mt) Marine Technology is circulated to all members of the Society as a portion of their dues allocation. Non-member subscript ions are $120 annually for the U.S. and possession s; single copies are $35. For international non-members, subscriptions are $130 annually; single copies are $35. (mt) Marine Technology is dedicated to James Kennedy, 1867-1936, marine engineer and longtime member of the Society, in recognition and appreciation of his sincere and generous interest in furthering ship design, shipbuilding, ship operation, and related activi ties. ( from the editorial board ) October 2012 Wind energy is attractive for many reasons, not least of which is that it is a domesti- cally produced product that is both clean and renewable. e concept has been embraced in the United States, where many of the worlds largest wind farms are located. ese facilities, however, are entirely land based. When it comes to devel- opment of oshore wind elds and associated technologies, the European and Scandinavian nations are the recognized leaders. In this issue of (mt) , we examine both the benets of oshore wind power generation and the obstacles to its growth. In particular, we explore the need to reduce oshore wind energy production costs to a level that is competitive with other energy sources. Oshore wind remains a nascent industry searching for its niche in the global energy pic- ture, and government policies play a key role in fostering growth. Governments can stimulate development through direct subsidies and policies that encourage installation of wind farms, by promoting research seeking innovative and cost-eective solutions, and by mitigating regulatory impediments. ese policy issues and the challenges related to nancing oshore wind instal- lations are examined here in (mt) .Wind sources oshore are close to population centers and the wind energy is of higher inten- sity and more consistent than land-based wind. However, these benets are oset by the higher costs of installation and maintenance of the oshore structures. To date, the supporting structures for most oshore installations have been monopiles. Floating structures such as semisubmersible units, spars, and tension leg platforms show promise due to their ease of installation. e demon- stration project depicted on our cover is an example of ongoing research in this area. Hydrokinetic energy is another clean, renewable energy source of particular interest to naval architects. We plan to dedicate the October 2013 (mt) to hydrokinetic energy and ocean thermal energy, and were pleased to preview that coverage with an introductory feature on the topic in this issue. Each issue of (mt) is coordinated by two members of the editorial board with expertise in the theme selected for that issue, and for this oshore wind edition I had the pleasure of working with Greg Matzat. Greg is former CEO of Sparkman & Stevens and currently is a contractor to the U.S. Department of Energy, supporting their oshore wind research and development program. His expertise and insights were instrumental in putting together this issue. We hope you will nd this content on oshore wind energy both stimulating and thought provoking. Keith Michel Chair, SNAME ( mt) editorial board Heading Oshore Keith Michel, Chair Rod Allan Chris Cikanovich Chris Dlugokecki Vicki Dlugokecki Norbert DoerryJay Edgar Peter Tang Jensen Luca Letizia Kevin McSweeney Peter Noble Jeom Paik Erik SeitherMatt Tedesco Rik van Hemmen Peter Wallace Coming in 2013 All this and more in upcoming issues of (mt) magazine! Next year is shaping up to be the best yet for ( mt) magazine. Join us as we explore challenges and opportunities in the following maritime sectors. + JANUARY 2013 ISSUE: The Nordic Maritime Industries + APRIL 2013 ISSUE: High-Speed/High-Performance Vessels + JULY 2013 ISSUE: The Mediterraneans Thriving Maritime Industry + OCTOBER 2013 ISSUE: Hydrokinetic Energy: Harnessing the Seas + AND IN THE JANUARY 2014 ISSUE: Marine Risk Assessment