China is no stranger to groundbreaking renewable energy technology, and competing companies within the country each claimed watermarks in June for the generation of clean power.
Envision Energy announced June 11 it had connected what is known as the EN-256/16.7 prototype, which it called the "world's largest offshore wind turbine," at least by megawatt generation, from its location off the coast of Sheyang. Then on June 26, Dongfang Electric said it had one-upped Envision by connecting an even more powerful turbine, of 18 megawatts, to the grid in Guangdong province.
Envision's EN-256/16.7 (16.7MW?) offshore turbine has just been connected to the grid. It is the world's most powerful wind turbine ever connected
— tphuang (@tphuang) May 30, 2024
Required significant innovation in mfg, delivery, hoisting, transport & ops in deep sea
We are on the way to 20MW turbine
src… pic.twitter.com/cNRieoG1si
🆕💨Exciting news! The first 18 MW semi-direct drive offshore wind turbine, developed by #DEC, was connected to the grid in Guangdong province, China, on June 26.
— Dongfang Electric (@DongfangGlobal) June 28, 2024
💚🌏This marks a significant milestone in renewable energy efforts. Let's celebrate this step towards a greener… pic.twitter.com/4EBdFTlPaw
According to Windmills Tech, the Envision turbine can deliver 16.7 megawatts of power, and it is the first "carbon neutral" offshore large-megawatt wind turbine in China. The EN-256 adds to Envision's offshore portfolio, which provides over 10 gigawatts of power to the country.
While the privately owned company didn't provide size measurements in its news release, the 16.7 MW structure did indeed exceed the previous record of 16 MW — which is also in China and made by the state-owned Goldwind. That turbine's rotor diameter clocked in at a massive 827 feet.
Dongfang, which is also state-owned, said its record-breaking turbine checks in at 853 feet in diameter, according to Electrek. Projecting its energy power across a year, Electrek said, "This colossus is expected to generate 72 GWh of clean electricity annually — enough to power around 36,000 households."
While deep sea locations are ideal for wind power generation, thanks to increased wind speeds and more consistent gusts, placing turbines in these environments can be a logistical challenge.
Envision said the EN-256 utilizes a modular design to make the delivery process easier and that it only needs "simple tools" for maintenance, making it easier to deal with issues out at sea even when there is a shortage of appropriate vessels to help complete the task.
"Its core components have been comprehensively optimized and upgraded, enhancing its power generation performance, and providing a new solution for offshore wind power development in deep-sea areas," the company stated.
The Chinese Wind Energy Association noted China was the world's largest producer of sustainable offshore wind power, exceeding 30 million kilowatts by the end of 2022, as China Daily reported. This accounts for around 50% of the world's total.
But as a home to more than 1.4 billion people, China is also one of the most polluting nations on the planet. As Reuters reported, approvals for coal-fired power stations rose 10% to 114 gigawatts in 2023. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization says air pollution is responsible for 2 million deaths in the country every year.
Developments such as the EN-256 are promising, but such technology needs to be met with a renewed focus to step away from fossil fuels to improve air quality and reduce the production of planet-warming emissions. In July 2023, the Sanbao township recorded the country's highest-ever temperature, 126 degrees Fahrenheit, while the year as a whole was the country's hottest on record.
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