Vestas has presented the update of the largest wind turbine in the world. I have no adjectives to describe how huge this turbine is. The V164, a 220 meter windmill with 38-ton, 80-meter long blades, has just focused all the attention of those interested in renewables in Denmark.
The previous turbine was capable of delivering a power of 8 MW, and thanks to the updates it is now capable of reaching up to 9 MW output under specific conditions. In its first test, the V164 was capable of generating 216.000 kWh in just 24 hours.
Not only is it the absolute record for wind power generation by a single wind turbine, but it is the clearest demonstration that ocean winds are going to play a key role in the energy transition that is already underway.
Enough to power a home for 66 years
According to Torben Hvid larsen, Vestas CTO:
"Our prototype has set another generation record, with 216.000 kWh produced in a 24-hour period. We are confident that this 9 MW wind turbine has proven to be market ready, and we believe it will play a key role in lowering offshore wind energy prices. "
Usually talking about kilowatts is a bit difficult and abstract. But according to official bodies, the average electricity consumption of a Spanish home is 3.250 kWh per year. A quantity slightly higher than the average annual consumption of urban dwellings in the main cities of South America. Taking this into account, a day of production could supply electricity to an average home for over 66 years.
With a size greater than the Torres Kio in Madrid and similar to the Torre Mayor in Mexico, the circumference that they cross is larger than the metal wheel of the London Eye in London. This turbine is the evolution of the V164-8.0 MW, a wind turbine that already broke records in 2014 and can power 16.000 British homes.
Offshore wind energy
The advancement of offshore wind technologies is truly amazing. With these giant wind turbines, much fewer turbines are needed and the investment becomes much more profitable. However, much remains to be done.
These huge turbines have to be fixed to the continental shelf. This is not always possible. If you go further, in Spain the platform quickly goes to great depths, then the fixing systems necessary to support these energetic monsters have too great a cost to be profitable. However, advances in floating turbines and the combination with the solar energy they make us optimistic. For the first time in history, renewables are about to win the battle.
WIND VESTAS
VESTAS was founded in 1945 by Peder Hansen, who named his company Vestjysk Stålteknik A / S. Initially, the company manufactured household appliances, focusing on agricultural equipment in 1950, intercoolers in 1956, and hydraulic cranes in 1968. It entered the wind turbine industry in 1979 and began production exclusively in 1989.
VESTAS aims to development, manufacture, sale and maintenance of wind technology and its activities range from site surveys to service and maintenance. Based in Denmark, it is the world's largest manufacturer of wind turbines.
VESTAS is the only global energy company exclusively dedicated to wind power. It manufactures its own components, which increases the flexibility of your product development, reduces dependency on suppliers and allows you to maintain a high level of manufacturing knowledge. At the same time, it carries out production and sourcing as close to the market as possible.
VESTAS has the largest wind energy research and development center in the world, in Aarhus (Denmark). Its objective is to position wind energy at the level of other traditional energy sources, such as oil and gas.
Currently, VESTAS has more than 51.000 wind turbines –More than 60 GW– installed all over the world. It provides wind power in 73 countries and employs approximately 17.000 people.
It has a wide range of turbines manufactured in series, covering all segments and wind regimes. It has recently improved its 2 MW and 3 MW platforms in order to respond to the current needs of its customers.
