Siemens Gamesa claims world’s most powerful wind turbine with new offshore behemoth

Siemens Gamesa has taken the top spot for the world’s most powerful wind turbine, with reports it has successfully installed a 21.5 megawatt (MW) unit at the Technical University of Denmark’s turbine test field in Østerild.

With a diameter of 276 metres, Siemens’ SG DD-276 model follows a whole host of turbines to claim the accolade of world’s most powerful, a title which has historically been dominated by Chinese manufacturers.

The record for the world’s largest installed turbine was previously held by China’s Mingyang Smart Energy, which last year announced it had successfully installed a 20MW turbine, dubbed the MySE18.X-20MW. 

Plans for the Siemens Gamesa prototype turbine were first made public during the summer of last year, forming part of the company’s Highly Innovative Prototype of the most Powerful Offshore Wind (HIPPOW) project.

The project was partially funded by the European Union, after Siemens Gamesa received €30 million from the political union’s innovation fund – one of the world’s largest programs dedicated to new low-carbon technologies.

According to the EU, the prototype turbine is large enough to power 70,000 Danish homes annually, whilst reducing greenhouse emissions by 55,454 of CO2 equivalent during the entire project’s duration.  

Although the installation represents the world’s most powerful turbine to be installed, if the Chinese state is to be believed, there exists a more powerful turbine that’s yet to be deployed.

During October last year, China’s state-owned Donfang Electric announced it had completed the manufacture of a 26MW wind turbine, claiming a single unit would be enough to power 55,000 homes. 

The previous record holder, Mingyang Smart Energy, has also announced plans for its next generation 22MW turbine.

Both turbines would knock Siemens Gamesa off the top spot, however there have been no reports that either company has successfully installed these next generation models.

The race for the world’s largest off-shore turbine has come at a huge cost to Siemens Energy, the parent company of Siemens Gamesa, which has experienced a rough few years.

In 2023, the German technology giant needed a €7.5 billion bailout from the German government to overcome losses experienced by its Siemens Gamesa subsidiary.

The company underwent huge restructuring last year, after CEO Jochen Eickholt informed the board of directors at Siemens Gamesa he was stepping down by “mutual agreement.” 

Although the unveiling of this record-breaking turbine will signify great press for Siemens Gamesa, the company’s restructuring aim to achieve break-even by 2026, should offer somewhat of a reality check.

Siemens Gamesa came to be in 2017 through the merging of Siemens Energy’s wind subsidiary, Siemens Wind Power, and Spanish wind turbine manufacturer Gamesa.