There's a 525-foot-tall giant in Uzbekistan that is harnessing wind power.
Not only is it the largest wind turbine in Central Asia, as reported by Electrek, but it's also the vanguard for more mammoth onshore towers designed to maximize low wind energy.
The 6.5-megawatt tower in Uzbekistan was created by China-based Envision. It's the first of 79 to be part of a Saudi-Arabia-based ACWA Power wind farm, which is forecast to reduce air pollution by nearly 827 tons a year when it goes online by 2025, the company reported.
To put the power into perspective, California ISO notes that a single megawatt can power about 750 homes simultaneously.
But it's not all about the size.
These wind turbines are also billed as being smart. The company said its towers are the "world's first smart wind turbine for low wind speed." The technology has improved efficiency in wind power by 15%, the company claimed.
The turbines achieve this through what Envision calls advanced control systems, data analysis, and reliability prediction capability. It all adds up to better service and longer life.
"We're proud to drive renewable energy expansion in Uzbekistan and beyond, furthering the growth and sustainability of the renewable energy sector," Envision managing director in Asia and Africa John Lee said in a press release.
These aren't the only tall towers coming out of China. An offshore project there promises wind catchers as tall as a 70-story building.
Wind energy created about 7.3% of the world's electricity in 2022, according to Statista. That was up from 6.6% the prior year. In the U.S., wind accounts for the largest share of renewable energy, at 9.2%. In total, renewables provide about 20% of the nation's electricity, according to the Department of Energy.
In Central Asia, ACWA is investing billions of dollars into wind projects, and Uzbekistan leaders want to generate 30% of the country's electricity with renewables by 2030, Electrek reported.
They have help from some giant partners.
"Together, we are shaping the future of energy, demonstrating that renewable resources are not only viable but essential to our global energy mix," Envision posted on LinkedIn about the project in Central Asia.
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