Europe's wind turbine city

Would you visit Turbine City?

While European countries such as the UK, France and Germany are perusing wind power projects by planning vast off-shore farms, Norway has gone one step further by possibly having a 'wind turbine city'.

Norway is considered to have the best conditions in the world for utilizing offshore wind power and the Stavanger coastline is said to be the longest and windiest in Europe. As such, design firm On Office feel that a turbine city would be able to take advantage of the country's weather, geography, resources and available technology to harness this infinite source of power.

Turbine Tourism

Although currently just an idea on paper, Turbine City (a working title) is seen as the first of what could be a whole new form of tourism. It is hoped that the beauty and appeal of Turbine City, could attract tourists, sailors, offshore oil-workers and others to see the beauty and appeal of wind farms.

Recent wind farms have drawn criticism from groups dubbing them ugly and a blight on the landscape, but On Office feel that it makes sense for turbines to serve a dual purpose - harvesting energy and serving a shelter or tourist facility.

Their designs would see the mega-turbine also contain a state of the art hotel, spa and museum included inside the structure, all run on wind power as you'd expect.

While research is still continuing on the project, it would make sense for Norway to pursue such a project especially if the country is to meet the EU's commitment of deriving 20 percent of its energy consumption from renewable energy sources by 2020.

While Norway's government has been pursuing wind farms, it has met with resistance and skepticism. Perhaps Turbine City, which would also bring in tourist revenue as well as clean power, could be enough to convince critics that such a scheme could be a good idea. Not just a source of energy, it could become an iconic landmark like the Eiffel Tower and the Empire State Building, a put Norway on the map in more ways then one.

The fact that it is out at sea would also mean the city would not have to worry about clashing with local architecture, something that has hampered such projects in the past.

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