MHI Vestas Offshore Wind has announced what it calls the wind industry’s first commercially available double-digit turbine, the V164-10.0 MW.
The company, a 50/50 joint venture between Vestas Wind Systems A/S and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, says its V164 turbine platform has now achieved a power rating of 10 MW.
“What was unreachable before has become the new benchmark,” says Philippe Kavafyan, CEO of MHI Vestas. “In launching the V164-10.0 MW today, MHI Vestas is proud to contribute this major milestone to the offshore wind industry. And it gives us the opportunity to pay tribute to all the wind industry pioneers who have led us to this historic, double-digit nominal capacity.”
The new 10 MW giant offers the following features:
- Rotor diameter of 164 meters;
- 80-meter blades, the equivalent of nine double-decker London buses;
- Blades each weighing 35 metric tons;
- Swept area of 21,124 square meters, larger than the London Eye;
- Hub height of 105 meters and tip height of 187 meters; and
- The capability of powering 5,977 German homes.
According to the company, the turbine is built on proven technology and lessons learned from previous installations of the V164 platform, which has more than 100 installations in the U.K. and Germany.
“The V164-10.0 MW turbine is the best proof point yet that we do not accept the limitations of conventional thinking and that we think beyond ourselves,” notes Torben Hvid Larsen, chief technology officer of MHI Vestas. “We have embraced the challenge of transforming what is possible in our field.”
According to the company, the upgrades required to reach the new level are relatively small. The V164-10.0 MW incorporates a stronger gearbox, some minor mechanical upgrades, and a small design change to enhance air flow and increase cooling in the converter. The upgrades ensure that MHI Vestas can run the V164-10.0 MW at full power: at a site with wind speeds of 10 m/s for 25 years, the company says.
The V164-10.0 MW, now available for sale, can be delivered for commercial installation beginning in 2021.
