The world’s most powerful single offshore wind turbine was successfully installed yesterday in Aberdeen Bay by a Swedish utility company.
The turbine is the first of 11 to be deployed at the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre and is one of two turbines that have been significantly enhanced with further internal power modes to generate more electricity.
The two turbines have each increased from 8.4MW to 8.8MW and yesterday’s installation represents the first time an 8.8 MW model has been deployed commercially in the offshore wind industry.
Together with nine other 8.4MW turbines, this boosts the wind farm’s output to 93.2MW – equivalent to more than 70% of Aberdeen’s annual domestic electricity demand.
The turbine blades have a tip height of 191 metres. Each blade is 80m long – taller than Aberdeen’s Marischal College – and the 164m rotor has a circumference larger than that of the London Eye.
Jean Morrison, Chairman of the Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group, said: “The European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre is leading the way in terms of innovation for the offshore wind sector and will help enable the next generation of offshore wind generators. It’s a real coup for us to have the world’s most powerful turbines on our doorstep and it helps cements Aberdeen’s position as a major ‘energy city’.”
12 Apr 2018
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