China is installing the world's largest wind turbine enough to power 25,000 households
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Chinese wind turbine installation platform 'Baihetan' has moved into position to begin installing the 16 MW wind turbine, the largest in the world thus far. The installation is part of the second phase of the Zhangpu Liuao wind farm in the Liuao Peninsula, a press release said.
China has initiated a significant overhaul of its energy sourcing as a key component of its objective to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. Given its large geography, China is using a mix of solar, hydro, and offshore wind farms to move away from coal which has fueled its growth over many decades.
This week marked the beginning of full-scale operations at the Kela photovoltaic(PV) power station in Sichuan, the world's largest hydro-solar plant. China has also been ambitious in developing and implementing newer technologies such as high-output wind turbines.
Bigger is better when it comes to wind turbines
As the world looks toward more consistent sources of renewable energy, wind farms are rapidly becoming the top choice for many nations. Wind farms offer benefits beyond generating energy during nighttime. They can also be positioned in territorial waters where stronger winds prevail, without impacting the limited land resources that certain countries possess.
Typically, 10 MW turbines have been used for offshore wind projects. However, larger capacity turbines can generate much higher power outputs while the costs of production and installation do not increase proportionally.
Interesting Engineering has previously reported how companies like GE, and Siemens have been building large-capacity wind turbines. China's push for larger turbines has been sponsored by the state with the China Three Gorges (CTG) company partnering with Goldwind Science and Technology company to build the 16 MW turbine.
Installation of the world's largest wind turbine
Earlier this February, the installation of the 16 MW turbine began 20 miles (32.8 km) off the coast of Fujian Province in the country's southeast. The CNY six billion (US$ 885 million) project aims to install 400 MW capacity as part of phase 2 of the Zhangpu Liuao wind farm.
Each of the 16 MW wind turbines being installed as part of the project has a turbine hub at a height of 479 feet (146 m), about 50 stories high. The blades result in a diameter of 827 feet (252 m) and sweep an area of 538,195 square feet (50,000 sq m). In a single revolution, the turbine can generate a whopping 34.2 kWh of electricity and 66GWh in a calendar year, enough to power 25,000 households.
Put together, the project will generate 1.6TWh of electricity which CTG estimates will save 500,000 tons of coal and 1.36 million tons of associated emissions every year. The installation of the turbine is expected to be completed soon and the farm is expected to be online by August this year.
The record for this feat is however expected to be short-lived as the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) subsidiary has claimed to have developed the nacelle and rotor hub for an 18 MW wind turbine, which could single-handedly power 40,000 homes annually.
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