Chinese manufacturing giant CRRC has broken new ground with its 260-meter diameter 20 MW floating offshore wind turbine prototype. The turbine, called “Qihang”, was installed at the Dongying wind power test base. With a 151-meter hub height and 260-meter blade diameter, the turbine operates in an area equivalent to seven football fields.
With each rotation, the Qihang turbine generates enough energy to meet a family’s electricity needs for 2-4 days, avoiding 25,000 tons of coal consumption and 62,000 tons of carbon emissions annually. It also incorporates innovative control technologies for the floating unit’s stable operation and resistance to extreme weather conditions such as typhoons.
Following tests on land, the turbine will be deployed in the deep sea area to supply energy to the grid. Such projects highlight the growing turbine development race in the wind energy sector.