Storm-proof wind turbine with capacity of 18 MW

CHINAThe giant 18 MW turbine has a surface area equal to 9 football fields and has a diameter of up to 292 m.

MySE 18.X-20 MW wind turbine introduced at MingYang's production facility. Photo: MingYang Smart Energy

MingYang Smart Energy, a Chinese offshore wind turbine manufacturer, introduced its latest turbine prototype that can operate even in strong storms. With a capacity of 18 MW, this is the largest wind turbine in the world to date, Interesting Engineering reported on December 14.

With a production base located in Shanwei, on December 13, MingYang introduced the MySE18.X-20 MW offshore wind turbine. The turbine's design evolved from the 14 - 16 MW versions that the company has produced and deployed. According to them, the turbine has an ultra-light modular design and provides high efficiency.

The diameter of the turbine is in the range of 260 - 292 m depending on the power level (18 - 20 MW) and the swept area is equivalent to 9 football fields. The turbine's annual capacity is 80 million kWh in the Guangdong region, helping to provide electricity to 96,000 households and reduce 66,000 tons of CO2 emissions.

MingYang Smart Energy ensures the new turbine design can be deployed in areas with moderate to high winds. In addition, the turbine is equipped with active anti-storm technology, allowing the device to withstand level 17 storms. The company did not disclose technology details, but this means the turbine can withstand winds of 56 - 61 m/s, the strongest wind storm the world has ever recorded. However, the MySE18.X-20 MW turbine may soon be usurped. In early October this year, MingYang company introduced a design for a 22 MW turbine with a blade as long as the Eiffel Tower.

As the world moves towards eliminating fossil fuels, wind and solar power plants will play a central role in helping meet electricity demand. While solar farms are limited by not being able to produce energy at night, turbines can operate all day, although power output may fluctuate. Over the years, wind turbines have gotten larger and produced more electricity with a single rotation. Moving turbines offshore helps save land for farms.