China Unveils World's Most Powerful Floating Wind Turbine

China has launched the world’s most powerful direct-drive floating wind turbine, marking a major step forward in clean energy technology.

Credit: China Huaneng Group/Handout via Xinhua

The 17-megawatt turbine, developed by China Huaneng Group and Dongfang Electric Corporation, rolled off the production line in Fuqing, Fujian Province, on Thursday, according to China Huaneng Group.

A single unit can generate 68 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, enough to power about 40,000 households.

The turbine will undergo real-world testing off the coast of Yangjiang in Guangdong Province.

With an operational availability rate of over 99%, the turbine features a 262-metre rotor diameter and a swept area of about 53,000 square metres, roughly the size of 7.5 standard football fields.

Its hub stands 152 metres tall, comparable to a 50-storey residential building.

The turbine is designed to endure extreme maritime conditions, including waves over 24 metres high and level-17 typhoons.

Its stabilisation technology allows it to continue generating power even when the floating platform tilts at extreme angles.

Liu Xin, director of the offshore wind division at China Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute, said the turbine’s intelligent sensing system enables comprehensive stability control for safe and efficient operation in deep-sea environments.

The research and development team achieved breakthroughs in floating wind power system coupling simulation and high-fidelity model testing.

All core components, including blades, generators and transformers, are domestically produced. The turbine also incorporates China’s first large-diameter main shaft bearing.

This innovation is expected to help tap into China’s vast deep-sea wind resources.

According to the National Development and Reform Commission’s energy research institute, nearshore waters (5–50 metres deep) offer about 500 gigawatts of technically developable wind capacity, while deep-sea resources are estimated to be three to four times greater.

Credit: Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC)

The Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) reports that over 80% of offshore wind resources are located in waters deeper than 60 metres.

GWEC expects global installed capacity of floating wind power to reach 278 megawatts by the end of 2024, with Norway, the United Kingdom, China and France leading the market.

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• China unveils 17-megawatt floating wind turbine, the world’s most powerful of its kind

• Turbine can power about 40,000 households annually

• Features 262-metre rotor diameter and 152-metre hub height

Source: CHINA DAILY