MHI Vestas Offshore Wind will test the new V164 9.5MW turbine at Clemson University in South Carolina, a deal that marks the manufacturer’s first major investment in the US.
The strategic partnership will help smooth entry into the Americas of the world’s largest offshore turbine, MHI Vestas chief sales officer Thomas Karst announced today at the AWEA Offshore Windpower 2017 conference in New York City.
A 15MW test bench at the university’s wind turbine drivetrain facility will carry out testing and verification of the gearbox and main bearings.
The V164 9.5MW machine is the turbine most likely to be used for the first round of major offshore wind projects in the US, said MHI Vestas.
The testing will help the manufacturer optimise the service strategy for the turbine to ensure optimum reliability and minimise the fatigue on components.
The project will cost $35m in total and will direct as much as $23m over five years to Clemson and create a dozen hi-tech jobs, MHI Vestas said.
“Clemson’s facilities are second-to-none and will enable MHI Vestas to accelerate their technology to the market and usher in a new source of renewable energy vital to our energy future,” the university’s associate vice president in Charleston Randy Collins said.
The $98m testing facility was funded by a $45m US Energy Department grant and matched by $53m of public and private funds.
German developer Innogy plans to install 90 of the 9.5MW turbines at the 860MW Triton Knoll wind farm in the UK.
The wind farm has a Contract for Difference from the UK government and will be operational in 2021.
Image: MHI Vestas
US test for MHI Vestas giant
9.5MW turbine technology to be put through paces at Clemson University
By EBS