16-MW turbine to be installed off Pingtan

Preparation work for the construction of a wind turbine with an installed capacity of 16 megawatts has been completed at an offshore wind farm in Pingtan, Fujian province, the first in the world with such a large capacity.

The turbine can be installed as long as there are favorable weather conditions, according to a report by China Media Group on Sunday.

Including its power generation system, the turbine's key components have all been domestically produced, according to the turbine's chief designer, Gao Yazhou, cited by CMG in another report on June 17.

The turbine's application of digital and intelligent systems has improved its environmental adaptability, making it suitable for wide application along the country's southeastern coast, he said.

"The continuously increasing single-unit power generation capacity of offshore wind turbines will effectively enhance the economic viability of offshore wind power," Gao said.

The turbine will be installed by a giant vessel that has been put in place and is ready for work.

Baihetan, an offshore wind power installation platform with a lifting capacity of 2,000 metric tons, arrived at the installation site on Saturday and finished the pitching of piles.

The vessel is China's first offshore windmill installation platform with such a big capacity, the report said. It had just completed the installation work for a wind turbine with an installed capacity of 13 megawatts.

The to-be-installed 16-MW turbine's hub is 152 meters in height, 34 meters higher than that of common 10-MW offshore wind turbines, according to Li Gang, the shipmaster of Baihetan, which belongs to China Three Gorges Co.

The turbine's blades and hub will be fastened together with 176 sets of high-strength bolts, requiring a very high performance of the installation vessel, Li told CMG.

"The vessel is one of the most advanced self-elevating and self-propelled offshore wind power installation platforms in China," he said, adding that it can operate in a depth of up to 70 meters underwater.

According to Li, the ship has four pile legs, which will go deep into the mud bottom and lift the entire platform.

It will not be affected by wind or waves, so it's very stable, Li added.

When put into operation and connected to the grid, each revolution of the turbine will be able to generate 34.2 kilowatt-hours of electricity, equivalent to the average electricity used by a family of three in a week, CMG reported.

China's newly installed capacity of grid-connected wind power reached 49.8 million kilowatts last year, with offshore wind power accounting for over 10 percent.

The country's accumulated installed offshore wind power capacity exceeds 30 million kilowatts, according to China Renewable Energy Society, quoted by Beijing News.

Contact the writers at zhangyu1@chinadaily.com.cn