World's biggest wind turbine to be installed off China
CTG is using its own next generation vessel to install giant wind turbines with ratings that exceed those being deployed by western peers
State-run power giant China Three Gorges (CTG) is poised to start installing the world’s most powerful offshore wind turbine, supplied by Chinese manufacturer Goldwind for the Pingtan wind farm off the coast of Fujian, China,
In a statement released on Monday, CTG said it is ready to begin work installing the giant turbine immediately after hoisting a 13MW machine for the the 299MW Pingtan wind farm.
The 16MW model would outstrip in power the 13-15MW models currently being lined up by western OEMs such as GE, Vestas and Siemens Gamesa for deployment off Europe and North America.
With China pedalling hard to reduce its reliance on dirtier fuels, CTG said the 13MW turbine alone can replace 15,000 tonnes of coal per year and reduce CO₂ emissions by 38,000 tonnes per year.
Hybrid offshore vessel
According to CTG, the jack-up has a variable load of 6,500 tonnes and a deck area of 4200 square metres and can be used for transportation, construction and installation
The vessel has now moved on to a new location and is installing the monopile ready for the 16MW turbine, CTG said.
The two turbines were unveiled in 2022, to a degree of scepticism from a global market that thought China was still far from catching up with western competitors such as Vestas, GE and Siemens Gamesa when it comes to the next generation of giant machines.
At the time, CTG chairman Lei Mingshan said roll-out of the 16MW unit showed that China’s wind turbine manufacturers had made a historic leap from 'following' to 'leading' in the development of global offshore wind power equipment.
In its marketing statements, CTG said the model was developed in the spirit of calls by Chinese authorities to independently develop advanced technology to match international standards in key sectors.
Goldwind chief engineer Zhai Endi claimed then that the 16MW unit has made important technological breakthroughs, including the development of key core components such as large main shaft bearings, ultra-long lightweight blades and digitally advanced monitoring and controls to adjust the operation mode for severe weather such as typhoons.
Goldwing and other Chinese original equipment manufacturers like MingYang and CSSC Haizhuang are growing fast in China’s huge domestic offshore wind market – now the largest in the world – and increasingly further afield, where they aim to offer an alternative to western rivals that have so far dominated outside Chinese waters.
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