China has created a record offshore wind turbine: a windmill with a diameter of 262 m generates 17 MW of energy

Chinese engineers have presented a prototype of the world’s largest floating wind turbine, which has already set a number of absolute records electricity generation.

The energy concern is working on the creation of a China Huaneng Group and the energy company Dongfang Electric Corporation. Both are state-owned Chinese enterprises. 

Each turbine will generate 17 MW of clean electricity or 68 million kWh over the course of a year. According to the US Energy Department, this is enough to provide electricity about 6,300 American households.

The nacelle — the central component of the wind turbine, includes a generator, and is placed on top of a 152-meter-high tower with blades with a total diameter of 262 meters. Each 360° rotation of the blades covers an area of 53 thousand square meters, which is approximately equal to the area of 8 football fields. 

Increase in the volume of electricity, generated by each individual turbine, is great importance for the wider implementation of similar wind energy projects, as it reduces the number of turbines required to be installed at each wind farm. This reduces the cost of such projects and the time required to prepare for launch.

The further offshore these wind turbines are located, the more extreme wind conditions they have to withstand. According to representatives of China The Huaneng Group’s turbine, which is currently being tested, is capable of withstanding waves as high as 24 meters and wind gusts of 117.4 km/h. 

Currently, offshore wind farms are more expensive than their onshore counterparts, and the electricity they generate also has a higher cost. However, they are exposed to constant intense winds and hardly ever stand idle. The vast majority of offshore wind farms have a fixed bottom. This is an economical way to create wind farms in shallow waters, such as the North Sea, which has an average depth of only 90 meters.

Pros data according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), most of the world’s oceans are unsuitable for wind turbine installation with a fixed bottom mount, as the average depth of the world’s oceans is 3,682 meters. The deepest foundation for an offshore wind turbine was installed as part of SSE’s Seagreen wind farm project at a depth of 58.6 meters off the coast of Scotland.

This is an exceptionally deep water for offshore wind energy. Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) evaluates all waters with a depth of more than 50 meters as unsuitable for turbine installation with a fixed bottom structure.

At the same time Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) evaluates, that 80% of the world’s offshore wind energy potential is concentrated in places with a depth of about 60 meters. As the use of floating wind turbines expands, energy companies and governments could significantly increase wind energy production by placing turbines in deeper water. 

Source: LiveScience