The world’s largest offshore wind turbine has commenced operations in Fujian province, southeastern China, and connected to the power grid on July 19.
MySE 16-260 Wind Turbine. (Photo: New Atlas).
The Three Gorges Corporation has connected the world’s first 16 megawatt (MW) offshore wind turbine to the power grid. With a rotor diameter of 260 meters, this colossal turbine will provide clean energy for 36,000 households in China.
The wind turbine, named MySE 16-260, manufactured by MingYang Smart Energy, is the largest turbine connected to the grid. The generator is housed in a rotating shaft located in a 152-meter tall tower, weighing 385 tons. Each blade measures 123 meters in length and weighs 54 tons, suspended on one side of the shaft.
With each complete rotation, the blades sweep an area of 50,000 m2, equivalent to seven standard football fields, and deliver 34.2 kWh of electricity to China’s power system. Annually, the turbine is expected to provide around 66 gigawatt-hours.
The test turbine is situated at an offshore wind farm in Fujian province, near the Taiwan Strait, which takes advantage of the natural funnel effect of the wind. According to the Three Gorges Corporation, this location experiences wind speeds exceeding 51 km/h for more than 200 days a year. Additionally, the area is prone to typhoons, allowing the turbine to demonstrate its storm resilience. The MySE 16-260 is designed to withstand wind speeds of up to 287 km/h, surpassing the highest recorded wind speed in the northwest Pacific, which was 260 km/h during Typhoon Tip in 1979.
Offshore wind turbines are set to continue growing in size. The China Shipbuilding Corporation previously produced an 18 MW turbine in January this year, with a 20 MW version expected to follow.
