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 MW unit at the Technical University of Denmark’s turbine test field in Østerild.
With a diameter of 276 metres, the 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 world’s largest installed turbine was previously held by China’s Mingyang Smart Energy, which last year successfully installed a 20MW turbine.
Plans for the Siemens Gamesa prototype turbine were made public last year, part of the company’s Highly Innovative Prototype of the most Powerful Offshore Wind (HIPPOW) project.
The project was partially funded by the EU'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.
The race for the world’s largest off-shore turbine has come at a huge cost to Siemens Energy, 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.