China’s Mingyang Builds a 22 MW Offshore Wind Turbine Taller Than the Eiffel Tower With a Rotor Span of 310 Meters

A new project promises to break records in the renewable energy sector. It involves the construction of a mega offshore wind turbine the size of the Eiffel Tower. The announcement was made by the Chinese company Mingyang, which specializes in the manufacture of these types of structures. According to the firm, the turbine will reach a power output of 22 MW and will feature a new and innovative rotor with a diameter exceeding 310 meters, something never seen before. This turbine will be prepared for all types of weather conditions, including resistance to typhoons, and will have support for floating applications.

China has created the largest machine in history. It moves by itself and produces clean energy. Renewable energies are clean, inexhaustible, and competitive sources. They are seen as the best alternative to fossil fuels because they originate from natural resources, are diverse, and have enormous potential for utilization in any type of territory. Since clean energies can be harnessed practically anywhere, their cost is usually more economical, which can have a positive effect on a country’s economic development. Fossil fuels are non-renewable, and their deposits are limited, leading to social and political tensions, as well as the considerable emission of polluting gases like CO2. Faced with humanity’s need to find alternatives to fossil fuels, China has created the largest machine in history.

The gigantic 22 MW Chinese wind turbine will be among the largest machines in history. MingYang has designed a new wind turbine that promises to break new records. Once fully operational, it will be the largest and most powerful offshore wind turbine in the world. MingYang’s proposal for 2025 promises to be awe-inspiring. This new turbine is expected to have a maximum generation capacity of 22 MW, with a rotor diameter exceeding 310 meters (1,017 feet), a figure equivalent to 60 Olympic swimming pools. This corresponds to a swept area of at least 75,477 square meters (812,425 square feet, 14.1 NFL football fields), minus the hub.

Add some clearance to ensure the blade tips stay out of the water, and you’ll see something taller than the 77-story, 319-meter Chrysler Building in New York, but rotating. According to Bloomberg, an Eiffel Tower could fit within the sweep of its blades. Longer blades capture more wind and produce more energy, while larger turbines generally lower costs for wind developers because they require fewer installations for the same capacity. In January 2023, the company revealed its plans to build an 18-megawatt turbine with a 140-meter diameter, which at the time was the largest in the world. Now they aim to go even further.

Mingyang is not just making history in offshore wind energy. In October 2023, it introduced the world’s largest land-based turbine: an 11 MW turbine with a rotor the diameter of a football field. However, these types of generators are starting to be considered large in some markets due to transport logistics and existing installation restrictions. In Europe, even offshore turbines have stopped growing in size. The European record is set at 15 MW with 236-meter rotors, reports WindLetter. Under these circumstances, Danish company Vestas, the world’s largest wind turbine manufacturer, has asked the industry to halt the development of ever-larger turbines with increasing power. The goal is to accelerate their offshore deployment.

This initial project was scheduled for early 2024 but has been delayed until 2025. This is because it is not the only plan that Mingyang Energy Group has in the works. The firm outlined what it considers to be the scenario for the coming years for the solar energy industry and which models will set the pace for the segment. The Chinese company plans to introduce two designs: one for the giant offshore turbine and another for a land-based wind generator.

The MySE 16-260, one of Mingyang’s offshore wind turbines, achieved a record for power generation during Typhoon Haikui in the Taiwan Strait on September 1, 2023. The new giant turbine will also be prepared for all kinds of weather conditions, including typhoons, and will have support for floating applications. The blades will be made of carbon fiber and will also feature a special treatment to prevent corrosion. Thanks to their increased length, they will be able to capture more wind and, therefore, generate more energy. Additionally, due to its size, a smaller-scale installation will be required to operate the turbine, reducing industrial costs along the way.

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Regarding the MySE 11-233 land-based wind turbine, which is currently in production at Mingyang’s base in Mongolia, it is designed for desert regions, such as the Gobi Desert. It will have rotor diameters ranging from 233 to 243 meters, and tower heights will vary from 130 to 200 meters. This design also stands out in terms of power, as it will be capable of generating enough electricity in a single day to power 1,300 homes for a month. It integrates the latest in maintenance technologies: thermal management to adapt to the desert’s high temperatures and sand filters that do not require maintenance, among others.

The company has installed wind turbines totaling up to 40 GW in more than 700 wind farms worldwide. The company claims that its renewable energy solutions have reduced CO2 emissions by 100 million tons per year.