World-first 18MW wind turbine installed in China

The continuing battle to build, install, and operate the world’s largest wind turbines has seen another record fall after the installation of an 18MW behemoth at a coastal testing centre in south-east China.

State-owned power equipment and services firm Dongfang Electric Corporation announced late last week that it had installed an 18MW semi-direct drive high-power offshore wind turbine at a coastal wind power test base in Shantou City, Guangdong Province.

Boasting a diameter of 260 metres and a blade swept area of a massive 53,000 square metres, a single 18MW turbine is expected to be capable of generating 72GWh of electricity each year – the equivalent of the annual power demand 36,000 households.

In terms of size, Dongfang Electric Corporation said that the 53,000 square metres blade swept area is equivalent to the size of 7.4 standard football fields (presumably soccer). The playing field of the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) measures around 20,000 square metres.

Dongfang Electric Corporation also expects a single 18MW turbine to avoid more than 22,000 tonnes of standard coal and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 59,000 tonnes per year.

Moreover, given its capabilities, 18MW wind turbines reduce the number of turbines necessary for a wind farm, reducing the costs of construction, operation, and maintenance.

The installation of this 18MW giant follows the 2023 race between China Three Gorges Corporation and Ming Yang Smart Energy to install and operate a 16MW wind turbine – a race won in September by China Three Gorges after it successfully installed and operated a 16MW turbine for at least 24 hours.