MHI Vestas has launched its massive V164-9.5 MW offshore wind turbine, built on the V164 platform and capable of powering 8,300 U.K. homes.
According to MHI Vestas, a 50/50 joint venture between Vestas Wind Systems and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the turbine is equipped with 35-metric-ton, 80-meter blades. With a hub height of 105 meters and a tip height of 187 meters, the machine also has a 390-metric-ton nacelle that is 20 meters long, 8 meters wide and 8 meters high.
With a redesigned gearbox and cooling system upgrades from the V164-9.0 MW machine, the turbine also has a swept area of 21,124 square meters.
Notably, according to the company, the V164-9.5 MW reduces operational and maintenance costs by enabling customers to run fewer, larger turbines.
Last December, the machine broke a world record for production by a single wind turbine when it produced 216 MWh of power in a 24-hour period. The prototype was set up at the Osterild Wind Turbine Test Field in Denmark.
Today’s launch comes as the offshore wind industry meets in London this week at Offshore Wind Energy 2017, hosted by WindEurope & Renewable UK.
Torben Hvid Larsen, chief technology officer of MHI Vestas, says, “I’m very proud of our team for their hard work in launching our next-generation turbine, the V164-9.5 MW. With only minimal design changes, including a redesigned gearbox and cooling system upgrades, this turbine continues the legacy of the proven V164 platform and is available now to all MHI Vestas customers.”
