China installed an 18 megawatt (MW) offshore wind turbine, the most powerful in the world in operation. This is a test on the coast of Guangdong province. It has a rotor diameter of 260 meters and a sweep area of 53,000 square meters, which is equivalent to 7.4 standard soccer fields.
State-owned power generator maker Dongfang Electric Corporation completed the installation on June 5, at a coastal test base in Shantou. It is estimated that this giant generates 72 GWh of electricity per year, enough to supply about 36,000 homes. They estimate that a single turbine avoids more than 59,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year.
The central component of the turbine, the generator, is designed to cause low vibration, low noise and a uniform temperature rise. Its modular drive chain design integrates the axle system, gearbox and generator, improving reliability and efficiency.
In December, another wind turbine manufacturer Mingyang presented a wind turbine design that offers flexible power ratings ranging from 18 MW to 20 MW and rotor diameters from 260 to 292 meters. It can cover a maximum swept area equivalent to nine football fields.
China’s eastern and coastal regions consume a lot of electricity, but most of the country’s energy resources are located in other regions, so offshore wind farms help balance this distribution. China sees offshore wind energy as a key component of its strategy to achieve peak carbon by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060.
Just how much power a large turbine can generate on a good day was demonstrated last year when a 16 MW turbine faced wind speeds of 83 kilometers per hour. In 24 hours, the wind turbine produced 384 MWh of energyenough to supply 170,000 homes.
Other Chinese manufacturers, including Mingyang, also They seek to develop large, high-power turbines. However, this trend of making larger wind turbines is only seen among Chinese manufacturers, while Europe and the United States want to focus on 15 MW first so that supply chains keep pace.
