Vestas has launched a new 15MW offshore turbine featuring a 236-metre rotor.
The Danish manufacturer said it is already tendering the machine, which will enter serial production in 2024.
A prototype is expected to be installed in 2022.
The company said the unit offers “excellent” partial-load production, resulting in a more stable energy production, and a capacity factor over 60% depending on site-specific conditions.
It will have the world’s largest swept area exceeding 43,000 m2, produce around 80 GWh/year, and save more than 38,000 tonnes of CO2, which is the equivalent to removing 25,000 passenger cars from the road every year.
The V236-15.0MW will have “optimum design synergies from existing turbine platforms” such as the 9MW V164 and EnVentus platforms.
Vestas will expand the industrialisation of turbine design through a “modular approach to scale components”.
Henrik Andersen, Vestas President and CEO, said: “Introducing our new offshore platform is a huge achievement for everyone at Vestas, as it marks a big leap forward in a very important journey.
“As a global renewables leader, every decision Vestas takes today must be in service of building scale for renewables in the future – only by doing this can we ensure a more sustainable future energy system.
“Offshore wind will play an integral role in the growth of wind energy and the V236-15.0 MW will be a driver in this development by lowering levelised cost of energy thus making our customers more competitive in offshore tenders going forward.”
Chief technology officer Anders Nielsen added: “With the V236-15.0 MW, we raise the bar in terms of technological innovation and industrialisation in the wind energy industry, in favor of building scale. By leveraging Vestas’ extensive proven technology, the new platform combines innovation with certainty to offer industry-leading performance while reaping the benefits of building on the supply chain of our entire product portfolio.
“The new offshore platform forms a solid foundation for future products and upgrades.”