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China Revolutionizes Wind Energy With The World’s Largest 18 MW Turbine, Capable of Generating 72 Million kWh Per Year, Powering 36,000 Homes With Clean Energy and Reducing Pollution
China has completed the installation of an 18 MW wind turbine. This feat was accomplished by Dongfang Electric Corporation, a state-owned power generator manufacturer, on June 5, with the installation of a single turbine at a coastal test base in Guangdong province, southern China.
A Step Forward in Renewable Energy
As countries seek to gradually phase out fossil fuels and increase their reliance on renewable energy, wind turbines are receiving a significant boost. To harness the strong winds from the sea, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have been focusing on building larger and better turbines that can power multiple homes with a single turn of their blades.
The Largest Wind Turbine in The World
At the China Wind Power event last October, DongFang showcased two models of its 18 MW wind turbines, the largest in the world in terms of rated power. Less than a year later, it successfully completed the installation of this massive infrastructure.
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How Big Is An 18 MW Turbine?
The turbine’s rotor diameter is an impressive 260 meters, sweeping an area of over 53,000 square meters, slightly larger than seven standard-sized soccer fields.
Environmental and Energy Impact
The company estimates that the turbine will generate 72 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy annually, enough to meet the energy demands of 36,000 homes. More importantly, it will achieve this by avoiding the burning of 22,000 tons of coal and the emission of 59,000 tons of carbon dioxide.
Innovations in The Chinese Wind Energy Industry
Interestingly, DongFang is not the only company in China to have an 18 MW turbine. The EcoInventos website previously reported on MingYang Smart Energy’s 18 MW turbine, which can exceed 20 MW of power on windier days.
Size Matters, But Only in China
An example of how much energy a large turbine can generate on a good day was seen last year when a 16 MW turbine faced wind speeds of 83 km/h. In 24 hours, the turbine produced 384 megawatt-hours (MWh) of energy, enough to power 170,000 homes.
At that time, the South China Morning Post reported how the turbine designed by another Chinese OEM, GoldWind, could adjust its blades and continue generating power instead of shutting down, as has been the norm in the industry.
International Comparison
However, this trend of manufacturing larger wind turbines is only observed among Chinese manufacturers. The European equipment manufacturer Vestas, which held the previous record for maximum energy production of a turbine, has no plans to build larger turbines than 16 MW.
GE Electric, another turbine manufacturer in the West, also considered making a 17-18 MW version of its popular Haliade series of wind turbines. Earlier this year, the parent company abandoned the plans, citing losses in the offshore business and focusing its working capital on fulfilling a backlog of orders rather than developing new products.
Source: www.dongfang.com.cn
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