Siemens Gamesa's SG 14-222 DD wind turbine, supposedly the most powerful wind turbine in the world, has started producing electricity. The prototype installed at a test centre in Denmark just produced its first electricity to the grid. The turbine has a 14 MW capacity, a 222 m diameter rotor, 108 m blades, and a 39,000 m2 sweep area. While these parameters are impressive, they are the result of a number of different innovations.
For example, the rotor uses Siemens Gamesa B108 blades which are cast in a single piece using patented technologies. Such a production process may increase transport costs, but may also provide a blade with higher structural integrity able to withstand the extreme rotational speeds experienced by the unit. The turbine further features a low nacelle weight of 500 metric tonnes. This reportedly reduces sourced material requirements for the tower and foundation substructure. The capacity of the turbine may be extended to reach up to 15 MW using the company's Power Boost function, a further innovative element of the system.
Evidently, the innovations present in this ground-breaking system have been improved upon as Siemens Gamesa is already scheduling an upgrade. The enhanced SG 14-236 DD offshore wind turbine which has a 236 m diameter rotor, a 43,500 m2 sweep area, and a capacity of up to 15 MW is scheduled to be installed in 2022.
While wind turbines may no longer be the ground-breaking marvels they once were with turbines becoming ubiquitous around the world, there is still a place for innovation to push the technology further. Protecting this innovation provides the innovator with a commercial advantage in an ever-growing market.
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