Posted on August 14, 2024
A Chinese firm has initiated the journey to install the world’s largest single-capacity floating wind turbine platform.
The new design by MingYang Smart Energy, called Ocean X, has been launched from the port city of Guangzhou in southern China to its final destination the Qingzhou IV Offshore Wind Farm in Yangjiang, Guangdong.
According to the firm, the journey spanning 191 nautical miles is expected to be completed in 72 hours.
Ocean X has a dual-turbine ‘V’ shape and a total capacity of 16.6 MW. The 54,000 MWh of annual production capacity might power an estimated 30,000 Chinese homes.
“OceanX’s overall towing design draft is 5.5m, and the total platform drainage is about 12,000 tonnes. To ensure safe passage, it has carefully adjusted its massive blades to minimize the platform’s aerial profile, a testament to safety and precision,” said the firm in a post on LinkedIn.
The business debuted the first typhoon-proof wind turbine in history in December 2023, with a power rating of 18 MW.
The OceanX platform is being tugged for installation at Qingzhou IV Offshore Wind Farm in Yangjiang.
Enhancing offshore wind
In a global effort to phase out fossil fuels, solar and wind energy facilities have gained traction and are being touted as the main sources of power in the future.
Wind turbines can operate continuously, even though their power output may fluctuate, whereas solar farms are limited in that they cannot produce electricity at night.
Over the years, wind turbines have increased in size, producing more electricity with each rotation. Initially, the goal was to relocate turbines offshore to save land for activities like farming. However, the benefits of capturing faster ocean winds have led to a growing offshore wind farming industry.
Mingyang aims to aid in the worldwide transition to sustainable energy with innovative floating offshore wind technologies.
These include the MySE 5.5MW and MySE 7.25MW systems, along with an advanced 16.6MW (OceanX double-rotor floating wind turbine). Designed to capture wind power from deep waters, these systems can operate effectively up to 100 kilometers from shore and at depths of 100 meters.
Competing with global leaders like Siemens Gamesa and local competitors such as GoldWind and CSSC Haizhuang, MingYang’s turbines feature diameters ranging from 853 to 958 feet (260-292 meters) and can sweep an area equivalent to nine soccer fields.
With an annual capacity of 80 million kWh in eastern Guangdong, these turbines can power 96,000 households and cut CO2 emissions by 66,000 tonnes. Designed for medium to high wind speeds, they incorporate “active anti-typhoon technology” to endure Category 17 typhoons with wind speeds up to 200 feet per second (61 m/s).
Advanced wind solutions
MingYang created the new OceanX platform, which was built in association with Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding Company and China State Shipbuilding Corporation.
In 2020, a prototype at 1:10 scale was tested, and the company finished installing the OceanX platform at its original scale in April of this year.
Perched atop a V-shaped structure are its twin counter-rotating rotors, each driven by MySE16.6(T) wind turbines with blade diameters of 597 feet (182 meters).
To ensure optimal stability, this structure is installed on a floating platform in the shape of a Y and reinforced with high-tension cable stays.
The floating platform, which weighs about 16,500 tons (15,000 tonnes), is designed to function in waters that are deeper than 115 feet (35 meters), which enables it to maximize offshore wind resources.
According to MingYang, the turbines’ complete yaw capability increases their efficiency even further. The platform’s construction uses ultra-high-performance concrete to improve durability and economy.
OceanX uses a single-point mooring system, which lessens its influence on the marine environment and increases stability even during typhoons.
Moreover, the platform can resist gusts of up to 161 mph (260 km/h) and waves as high as 98 feet (30 meters) in Category 5 hurricane conditions. Impressively, by facing the wind, it can still generate electricity under these harsh circumstances.
