A floating vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) designed by American Offshore Energy offers sustainability in addition to performance benefits. Designers took inspiration from sailboat racing to engineer a lightweight vertical structure, keeping the heavier bearings and generator near sea level.

The American Turbine is the first wind turbine without a center shaft; the bearings and electrical generation components are located at the perimeter to eliminate the need for rolling bearings, gearboxes and oil. As design principles were applied to completely avoid moment forces being transmitted to the floating base, the buoyant structure may be assembled with fiberglass instead of steel.

Relative to horizontal axis systems, the American Turbine is less expensive and faster to build, resulting in 50% cost reduction per MW, shorter delivery time and reduced maintenance requirements.

The VAWT has a powerful aerodynamic rotor that may be adjusted to prevailing conditions and incorporates water-based hydrostatic perimeter support bearings, direct drive HVDC generation at the perimeter and tension and compression design principles. Use of fluid film bearing technology enables separation of axial and radial loads, and as the units are so much lighter, they may be manufactured and launched from sites not appropriate for launching floating horizontal axis wind turbines.