MHI Vestas is preparing to launch a new 9MW-class offshore wind turbine model featuring rotor sizes beyond the existing 164-metre configuration.
The manufacturer last week registered EU trademarks for both V174-9.0MW and V174-9.1MW turbine names.
“This trademark confirms that we are working on a larger rotor size and our plan is to stay ahead of the competition in both rotor size and nominal power output,” an MHI Vestas spokesperson told reNEWS.
The new machines will feature blades longer than the 80-metre pieces used on the V164.
MHI Vestas last summer launched a 9.5MW iteration of its V164 turbine, which was first installed at Orsted’s Burbo Bank 2 in the Irish Sea and rated at 8MW. Developers have since placed orders for 290 9.5MW V164 machines.
The V164-9.5MW will feature at the Blauwwind consortium’s 731.5MW Borssele 3&4 project off the Netherlands, Innogy’s 860MW Triton Knoll off Lincolnshire, EDPR’s 950MW Moray East off Scotland and Parkwind’s 224MW Northwester 2 off Belgium.
GE is currently developing its Haliade-X 12MW offshore wind turbine featuring a 220-metre rotor diameter. GE hopes to deploy the giant commercially from 2021.