Wind turbine maker Siemens Gamesa has unveiled a new SG 14-222 DD offshore Direct Drive wind turbine with 14-megawatt (MW) capacity.
The capacity can reach up to 15 MW using the company’s Power Boost function. The turbine will have a 222-meter diameter rotor, 108-meter long blades, and a 39,000 m2 swept area.
The 14 MW capacity allows one SG 14-222 DD machine to provide enough energy to power approximately 18,000 average European households every year. Approximately 30 SG 14-222 DD offshore wind turbines could furthermore cover the annual electricity consumption of Bilbao, Spain, Siemens Gamesa said.
"Offshore is in our DNA,” says Andreas Nauen, CEO of the Siemens Gamesa Offshore Business Unit. “Since we helped create the offshore wind industry in 1991, we’ve been determined to safely increase operational performance, minimize technology risks, and create a consistently lower Levelized Cost of Energy.
"The SG 14-222 DD demonstrates our drive to lead the way in a world powered by clean energy. In fact, just one unit will avoid approx. 1.4 million tons of CO2 emissions compared to coal-fired power generation over the course of its projected 25-year lifetime."
The 222-meter diameter rotor uses the new Siemens Gamesa B108 blades, each 108 meters long.
Additionally, the company says, the turbine’s massive 39,000 m2 swept area is equivalent to approximately 5.5 standard football pitches.
"It allows the SG 14-222 DD to provide an increase of more than 25% in Annual Energy Production compared to the SG 11.0-200 DD offshore wind turbine," the company said.
"Furthermore, the new offshore giant features a low nacelle weight at 500 metric tons. This light weight enables Siemens Gamesa to safely utilize an optimized tower and foundation substructure compared to a heavier nacelle. Benefits thus arise in the form of lower costs per turbine by minimizing sourced materials and reducing transportation needs," Siemens Gamesa added.
The prototype will be ready in 2021 with the turbines expected to be commercially available in 2024