Wind energy has quietly crept up to provide more than 7% of the world’s global energy needs. The wind turbines that make this energy have been growing larger for years. The larger a turbine, the more wind it can capture, and the more electricity it can produce.
Danish company Vestas is one of the leaders in the space, and their latest turbine is the world’s largest and most powerful, at 15 Megawatts, and generating 80 Gigawatts of power annually. It’s called the V236, and is meant to be installed on huge offshore wind farms.
The scale of the wind turbine is hard to comprehend, with blades that reach 280 meters (918 feet) into the air, making it the tallest and most powerful, anywhere. It’s also the height of many of the tallest urban skyscrapers.
A photo of the nacelle (housing for all of the generating components) below show people for scale, showcasing where the massive blades will attach.
The power output of the V236 means a single wind turbine of this size could power over 20,000 homes, and take the equivalent of 25,000 car pollution off the road, annually.
Vestas has a great series about the engineering, build, and construction efforts needed to bring this huge new wind turbine to reality. Watch the Building phase below.
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That begs the question of how much energy is required in this project’s design, manufacturing, construction, and delivery. I am sure such an undertaking depended on crude oil, coal, and natural gas. Also, how much oil the turbine needs for lubrication must be changed every six months. And what is the lifespan of this turbine? Bigger is not always better.