The components of a 16-MW offshore wind turbine -- the largest of its kind in the world so far -- are being loaded onto a ship in the Jiangyin County-level City in east China's Fujian Province on Saturday, as part of the country's efforts to accelerate green transition.
With a propeller diameter of 252 meters, the wind turbine covers a swept area of 50,000 square meters, equivalent to seven standard soccer fields.
At full wind speed, it can generate 34.2 kWh of power after rotating a full turn, and its annual output, which is estimated to average over 66 million kWh, can meet the demand of 36,000 households, save 22,000 tons of standard coal, and reduce 54,000 tons of carbon dioxide emission.
Preparation work is now underway before transporting its components to a designated offshore wind farm.
"Before transporting the components, we have formulated a detailed transportation plan and emergency plan. After the transport ship sets sail, we will keep a close eye on the weather. When faced with unfavorable weather conditions, the ship will go to a nearby anchorage to take shelter according to the emergency plan. When the weather turns good, we will go to the Pingtan Offshore Wind Farm where the wind turbine will be installed. After the 16MW offshore wind turbine is installed, it will become the largest offshore wind turbine that is currently in operation around the world," said Sheng Lei, deputy general manager of Fujian Three Gorges Offshore Wind Power International Industrial Park Operations Co., Ltd.
Notably, key components of the 16-megawatt offshore wind turbine, such as the generator system, the main shaft and blades, are developed domestically, and showcase technological breakthrough made by Chinese scientists.
Its generator system, for example, has been redesigned and weighs 20 tons less than previous editions.
"A too heavy generator system will put a lot of weight on the wind turbine tower. By transforming its gearbox, we have managed to make a large-capacity motor smaller, greatly reducing the use of heavy metal on it," said Gao Yazhou, chief designer for the 16MW Offshore Wind Turbine.
Besides, the wind turbine is equipped with an intelligent system which can monitor and adjust operations based on temperature, humidity, wind speed and other data collected by its sensors and lidar.
"This wind turbine is smart. The coastal areas of southeast China are rich in wind resources, and meanwhile its weather conditions are complicated. For instance, when a typhoon strikes, the wind turbine will automatically activate an anti-typhoon mode to operate safely and stably," said Sheng.
By the end of this April, China's installed capacity of wind power reached 380 million kW.
The country plans to develop a modern energy system during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), striving to promote wind power in locations with rich wind resources.
Source: CCTV
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