The new turbine installed by the Dongfang Electric Corporation can supply electricity for 36,000 households each year and reduce the consumption of 22,000 tons of coal.
China has completed the installation of the world’s first 18 MW wind turbine. Dongfang Electric Corporation, a state-owned generator manufacturer, achieved this milestone on June 5, with the turbine installed at a coastal testing facility in Guangdong Province, southern China, according to Interesting Engineering.
18 MW Wind Turbine from Dongfang at the testing facility. (Photo: Dongfang Electric Corporation).
As countries seek to reduce fossil fuel reliance and increase renewable energy usage, wind turbines are rapidly advancing. To harness the strong winds at sea, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) are focused on building larger and better turbines that can supply electricity to more households with each rotation of the blades.
At the China Wind Power event last October, Dongfang introduced two models of 18 MW wind turbines, among the largest in the world by capacity. Less than a year later, they completed the installation of this massive turbine. The rotor diameter of the turbine is 260 meters, and the swept area is 53,000 m2, more than seven times that of a standard football field. According to Dongfang’s estimates, the turbine will generate 72 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity annually, sufficient to meet the electricity needs of 36,000 households. This equipment will also help reduce the burning of 22,000 tons of coal and prevent the release of 59,000 tons of carbon emissions.
Dongfang is not the only manufacturer in China producing 18 MW turbines. Previously, Mingyang Smart Energy also introduced an 18 MW turbine capable of reaching up to 20 MW on windy days. A demonstration of the energy output a large wind turbine can produce on a good day occurred last year when GoldWind’s 16 MW turbine faced wind speeds of 83 km/h. In just 24 hours, the turbine generated 384 MWh of electricity, enough to power 170,000 households.
However, the trend of producing larger wind turbines is primarily noted among Chinese manufacturers. The European equipment manufacturer Vestas, which once set a record for maximum power output from a turbine, has no plans to produce turbines larger than 16 MW. GE Electric, another wind turbine manufacturer, also has no plans to create a 17-18 MW version of its well-known Halide wind turbine line. On the other hand, Chinese turbine manufacturers also lead in the rapid installation of offshore wind turbines, completing installations in just 24 hours.
