Offshore Wind and Seabed Data Center Layout for Local Power Use

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Solution Overview

Problem

Offshore wind power systems face challenges in electricity consumption and sea area resource utilization, including difficulty in transporting power to land, unstable power generation, wind abandonment, and low utilization efficiency of sea resources due to competition with other activities.

Innovation Solution

An offshore wind power system comprising an offshore wind turbine, data center, ranch, platform, and submarine cables, where the data center supplies heat to the ranch using surplus heat, and the wind turbine provides power to both, with a three-dimensional layout optimizing sea area utilization and integrating power and computing capabilities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If offshore wind farms are built far from land to utilize wind resources, then wind power generation capacity is improved, but power transmission difficulty and electricity consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewind power generation capacityVSAvoidpower transmission complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges wind power generation, data center operations, and ranch activities into a single integrated offshore system. The wind turbine generates power that is consumed by the data center and ranch, eliminating the need for complex long-distance power transmission to land. This combination resolves the contradiction by making the system self-sufficient.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The offshore platform serves multiple functions: wind power generation, data center hosting, ranch operations, and power consumption. This multi-functionality allows the system to generate and consume power locally, avoiding complex transmission infrastructure while maintaining high wind power utilization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Use of energy by moving object

If offshore wind farms occupy sea areas for power generation, then wind energy utilization is improved, but sea resource utilization efficiency deteriorates due to competition with fishery, shipping, and ecological protection

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewind energy utilizationVSAvoidsea resource utilization efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The offshore platform simultaneously serves as a wind power generation facility, data center, and ranch. This multi-functional design allows the same sea area to be utilized for multiple purposes (power generation, computing, and agriculture), thereby improving overall sea resource utilization efficiency while maintaining wind energy development.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from traditional two-dimensional sea surface utilization to three-dimensional space utilization by placing the data center on the seabed and the wind turbine above sea level, with the ranch in the water column. This vertical arrangement maximizes space utilization and allows multiple functions to coexist in the same horizontal footprint.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Device complexity

If traditional offshore wind farms only generate power, then power generation function is simple, but energy utilization efficiency deteriorates due to wind abandonment and lack of local consumption

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem function simplicityVSAvoidwind abandonment rate
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines power generation with power consumption by integrating a data center and ranch that consume the wind-generated power locally. This eliminates wind abandonment by ensuring continuous local demand, and the system maintains relative simplicity through functional integration rather than complex grid connection and storage systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The offshore system serves itself by generating its own power through wind turbines and consuming it through data centers and ranch operations. This self-service model eliminates the need for complex external grid connections, energy storage systems, and power transmission infrastructure, while simultaneously preventing wind abandonment through guaranteed local consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

4Ease of operation

If data centers are built on land, then computing power delivery is traditional, but green computing capability deteriorates due to lack of renewable energy integration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomputing power deliveryVSAvoidcarbon footprint
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges data center operations with offshore wind power generation, creating a self-sufficient green computing facility. The data center is directly powered by renewable wind energy from turbines on the same platform, eliminating the need for traditional land-based power grid connections and significantly reducing carbon footprint while maintaining computing power delivery capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Reduces construction costs, enhances resource utilization, and improves energy efficiency by local power consumption and heat utilization, transitioning to green computing power and maximizing sea area utilization.

Implementation Method 1

the offshore data center is configured to supply heat for the offshore ranch by utilizing surplus heat of equipment

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

the offshore wind turbine is configured to supply power to the offshore data center and the offshore ranch

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectWind power generation: Wind Power

Data Source

PatentEP4675101A1Offshore wind power system and operation method thereof
Publication Date: 2026.01.07 CHINA THREE GORGES CORPORATION
  • EP4675101A1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP4675101A1 patent drawingFigure 4
  • EP4675101A1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The present application relates to the technical field of offshore wind power, discloses an offshore wind power system and an operation method thereof, and the system comprises: an offshore wind turbine, an offshore data center, an offshore ranch, an offshore platform, submarine cables and a shore station; wherein the offshore wind turbine and the offshore platform are arranged above a sea level, the offshore ranch is arranged in seawater, and the offshore data center is arranged on a seabed; the offshore wind turbine, the offshore data center and the offshore ranch are interconnected by cables in a wind turbine sleeve; the offshore platform, the shore station and the wind turbine sleeve are interconnected by the submarine cables; wherein, the offshore wind turbine is configured to supply power to the offshore data center and the offshore ranch, and transmit surplus power to the shore station through the offshore platform; the surplus heat of equipment of the offshore data center is configured to supply heat for the offshore ranch. The present application improves the energy utilization efficiency of the offshore wind power, the utilization efficiency of sea area, and the high-efficiency environmental control for the offshore ranch.