World's biggest wind turbine

 World's biggest wind turbine installed by Chinese Firm in 'record' 24 hours

The world's biggest commercially available wind turbine was reportedly installed by its manufacturer, Goldwind, in just 24 hours, the Chinese company claimed. The wind turbine has a power rating of 16 MW and already has many world-first titles to its name, including one achieved just a couple of months ago. Faster installations could reduce construction costs as well as bring farms online faster, both big wins for the wind industry.

Wind turbines are critical tools in our drive to generate electricity using renewable energy sources. The advent of offshore installations has ushered in the possibility of building larger turbines which can harness greater energy in a single sweep. Chinese companies have engaged themselves in a race to build larger turbines, with Goldwind's GWH252-16MW becoming the biggest turbine currently available commercially. Earlier this year, Chinese defense conglomerate CSSC Haizhuang claimed to have built an 18 MW turbine. But Goldwind's next trick has been to complete installations faster, making them more financially viable.

As turbines grow, they need to be installed at greater depths inside the sea, making the task more challenging. Goldwind's claims are good news for the offshore wind industry since they demonstrate that rapid installations are possible now, paving the way for wind projects to be brought online faster. Earlier in September, the company had announced a similar accomplishment with its 14.3 MW turbine. 30 working hours is the time it takes for the GWH252-14.3MW wind turbine to start rotating from scratch in Zhangpu. #Goldwind leverages its expertise to transform wind into electricity in every offshore area, contributing to green energy. Look at the ocean and feel the future. 

The recent announcement, however, has not been accompanied by much detail. The location of the installation has not been revealed, nor the details of how it was achieved. Quicker installation would also lead to reduced construction costs. It can be safely assumed that the post is referring to "simulations" for optimizing the processes involved.

Goldwind's 16 MW wind turbine struck another record earlier in September when it generated 384.1 megawatt-hours of energy in a 24-hour. This is enough energy to power 170,000 homes, and it's the output of just one turbine. Interesting Engineering has previously reported how the 16 MW turbine has a rotor diameter of 827 feet (252 m), and its blades sweep an area of 538,195 square feet (50,000 square meters). The record-breaking feat was achieved in the Zhangpu Liuao Phase 2 offshore wind farm in the southeastern Fujian Province during typhoon Haiku. Wind speeds during the typhoon reached 77 feet per second (85 km an hour). The 16 MW turbine operated in these conditions to set a global record and demonstrate the potential of the technology.

With its turbines, Goldwind is looking beyond the demand for green energy. Goldwind produces its turbines in a zero-carbon smart factory where energy is supplied using a combination of wind and photovoltaic cells and carbon emission management. The company claims that its products are eco-friendly and designed to be lightweight and easy to disassemble and recycle. Transportation of components is done scientifically while reducing packaging. The company is working to make green energy more reliable and affordable and engages in planning and designing energy solutions, constructing and managing them to bring maximum returns from its expertise.