Siemens announced the installation May 19 of a prototype of its new offshore flagship wind turbine of the type SWT-7.0-154. The planned field testing of the 7-megawatt offshore machine in Østerild, Denmark, mainly focusses on the upgraded generator and the enhanced electrical system.
The majority of other components are “equal to the proven technology” of the Siemens SWT-6.0-154 – including the rotor with its outstanding diameter of 154 meters. This latest edition of the D7 product platform can produce 32 million kilowatt hours a year under offshore wind conditions.
The gearless drive technology permits a compact design: Using Siemens‘ Direct Drive technology the SWT-7.0-154 is the lightest turbine of its class, the company says. The combination of robust design and low weight reduces offshore infrastructure, installation and maintenance costs. Today‘s cranes and installation vessels will be sufficient for its installation, despite the larger generation capacity.
Siemens' new machine is not alone at the top of the scale. The record for wind turbine size has been inching upward for a few years. The online magazine Windpower Monthly lists several others in the same range:
• Vestas V164, 8MW
• Enercon E126, 7.5MW
• Samsung S7.0 171, 7MW
• MHI SeaAngel, 7MW
• Repower, 6M Series
• Alstom Haliade, 6MW
• Sinovel SL6000
• Areva M5000
• Gamesa G5MW Siemens' new machine is not alone at the top of the scale. The record for wind turbine size has been inching upward for a few years. The online magazine Windpower Monthly lists several others in the same range:
• Vestas V164, 8MW
• Enercon E126, 7.5MW
• Samsung S7.0 171, 7MW
• MHI SeaAngel, 7MW
• Repower, 6M Series
• Alstom Haliade, 6MW
• Sinovel SL6000
• Areva M5000
• Gamesa G5MW