'From China to the North Sea': MingYang unveils world's largest wind turbine
OEM leapfrogs rivals with 16MW machine as first of supersized variants planned for deployment globally
Chinese wind OEM MingYang Smart Energy unveiled a 16MW wind turbine that is the world’s largest launched commercially so far, with an eye on offshore deployment globally “from China to the North Sea”.
The typhoon-class MySE 16.0-242 marks a big jump from the manufacturer’s previous 11MW design, over which it claims a 45% energy production boost, and leapfrogs western rivals such as Vestas, Siemens Gamesa and GE Renewable Energy, as well as Chinese peers.
The turbine – slated for prototype installation in 2023 and commercial production in the first half of 2024 – is based on MingYangs’s hybrid drive technology, and flies a 242-metre diameter rotor and 118-metre blades that cover a 46,000 sq metre swept area, said the OEM.
The manufacturer said the 16MW model is “the start of MingYang’s new 15MW-plus offshore product platform. In the future, it is planned to grow into a portfolio of model variants that can adapt to various offshore settings, ranging from the typhoon-prone South China Sea to the constantly windy North Sea in Europe”.
Qiying Zhang, MingYang’s president and CTO, said: “In response to demand for anti-typhoon wind turbines in coastal Guangdong, MingYang systematically develops high-quality products by collaborating with global supply chain partners and integrating cutting-edge technologies from industries such as aerospace, materials, and big data.
“Over the years, we have gained over 10GW cumulative track record and iteration experience with Hybrid-Drive technology. These enable us to have a rapid learning curve in product R&D and position us well to become an offshore wind leader.”
Innovations
The Chinese group highlighted a range of innovations for the new machine, which it said can deliver on both bottom-fixed and floating applications. They include a “competitively low” weight of 37 tonnes/MW, power electronics and transformer relocated into the nacelle – said to simplify cabling and maintenance – and an airtight design with internal cooling.
The design has been certified by DNV and China General Certification Centre, said the OEM, which is among the most ambitious of China’s wind turbine groups.
Like rivals such as Goldwind, Envision and Shanghai Electric, MingYang’s most immediate opportunity is the fast-growing Chinese offshore wind market, which this year will pass the UK as the world’s largest.
The Guangdong-based company has engaged in a quick-fire ramp up of turbine size over the last few years, both on-and offshore.
Manufacturers are widely tipped to be launching 20MW models for deployment in the latter part of the decade.
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