Siemens Gamesa launches 10-MW offshore wind turbine

Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE, Zamudio, Spain) has launched the SG 10.0-193 DD, the company’s first 10+ MW offshore wind turbine. Based on its experience since establishing the world’s first offshore wind park in 1991, the newest wind turbine in the SGRE offshore portfolio builds on five generations of proven technology for maximum energy yield at all wind speeds.

Note that when MHI Vestas (Aarhus, Denmark) announced its 10 MW turbine ― an upgrade of its V164 mill, which was previously rated at 9.5 MW ― in Sep 2018, its main claim was more power than Siemens Gamesa’s then highest-powered 8 MW turbine with a 167-m rotor diameter. By increasing the rotor diameter to 193m and integrating the proven SGRE Direct Drive generator technology, Siemens Gamesa ups its top power rating with 30% more  annual energy production (AEP) than its 8-MW predecessor.

This new, 10-MW turbine features 94-m-long blades ―each the same length as one soccer field ― providing a swept area of 29,300 m². The annual energy production of one SG 10.0-193 DD is sufficient to supply about 10,000 European households with electricity. This means that an offshore wind park composed of 20 of these turbines would cover the annual electricity consumption of a city the size of Liverpool.

The technology on the offshore direct drive platform allows for the re-use of most components from previous generations, providing a short time to market. The nacelles of this new offshore wind turbine will be initially manufactured at the SGRE factory in Cuxhaven, Germany, the world’s largest plant for offshore wind turbine nacelles. The prototype is expected to be installed in 2019 with commercial market deployment slated for 2022.

“The Levelized Cost of Energy from offshore wind continues to decrease as industry scale and performance grow. New markets are developing across the globe, all of which require cost-efficient, reliable, and clean power for generations. The SG 10.0-193 DD enables us as market leaders to meet these needs in close cooperation with our customers, stakeholders, and society-at-large,” says Andreas Nauen, CEO of the SGRE Offshore Business Unit.