The renewable energy industry has seen rapid advancements in recent years, with wind turbines playing a pivotal role in transitioning to a sustainable future.
As the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases, China has been actively investing in renewable energy sources, including the burgeoning wind power sector. This blog post will discuss the recent unveiling of the largest wind turbine by Chinese engineering giant Sany and its potential impact on the offshore renewables market.
Sany, a leading global player in the onshore wind turbine market, has entered the offshore sector by introducing a 9MW wind turbine designed for low-wind opportunities in key regions of China. With a rotor diameter of 230 meters and high-speed doubly-fed generator technology, the 9MW Sany unit is intended for use in the Northern Yangtze River region. This marks a significant expansion in Sany’s portfolio, which previously focused solely on the onshore market. The company ranked ninth globally with 4GW of installations in the last year.
China’s offshore wind sector has witnessed remarkable growth, becoming the largest globally, with 31GW installations by the end of 2022. The Global Wind Energy Council anticipates an additional 64GW to be added over the next five years. This growth has attracted significant players like Mingyang and Goldwind, who are entering the market with massive wind turbines approaching 20MW – outpacing their Western counterparts.
The Need for Low-Wind-Speed Turbines
While the industry has seen a trend towards more significant and powerful wind turbines, there is a growing demand for lower-rated, longer-rotor turbines to serve areas with relatively low wind speeds. According to Shashi Barla, the renewable energy head at Brinckmann, these low-wind-speed offshore turbines are ideally suited for provinces like Shandong, Hebei, and Liaoning.
Sany’s Dongying facility in Shandong has been expanded to accommodate the production of their latest offshore turbines, positioning the company well to meet the demand in low wind speed provinces. It is worth noting that Sany has opted for a high-speed drive train and a doubly-fed induction generator. In contrast, most competitors utilise medium-speed drive trains and permanent magnet generators.
This latest entry into the offshore renewables market with its 9MW wind turbine reflects China’s growing interest and investment in renewable energy sources. As the nation continues to expand its renewable energy capacity, wind turbines, both onshore and offshore, will play a critical role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and moving towards a sustainable future. With its innovative design and strategic focus on low-wind regions, Sany’s 9MW wind turbine holds excellent promise for further advancing the renewables industry in China and beyond.
TLDR
- Sany unveils a 9MW wind turbine for low-wind opportunities in key Chinese regions.
- The turbine features a 230-meter rotor diameter and high-speed doubly-fed generator technology.
- China’s offshore wind sector is the largest in the world, with 31 GW of installations by the end of 2022.
- Low-wind-speed offshore turbines cater to provinces like Shandong, Hebei, and Liaoning.
- Sany’s move into the offshore market reflects China’s growing investment in renewable energy sources.
- Wind turbines onshore and offshore are crucial in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and advancing sustainability.