London Array is now 10 years old

[dan_b]

What was then the world's largest offshore wind farm and using now comparatively tiny 3.6MW turbines, the London Array has now been generating for 10 years!

https://renews.biz/89646/london-array-c ... -birthday/

[GarethC]

And turbine size has QUADRUPLED in just those ten years. I know the industry has problems, but the future is still bright for it.

[dan_b]

Exactly - amazing to think that 3.6MW was state of the art just 10 years ago. That's one heck of a development curve!
(although I can't help but think that at some point soon they'll just simply get too big and heavy to be able to move around and install, let alone stay standing - reckon 18-20MW is about it?)

[nowty]

There may be still some way to go, the race is on for the 20MW turbine. And there are conceptual designs above that.

The Goldwind GWH252-16MW turbine currently has the record at 16MW.
https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/wind ... 06952.html

Mingyang Wind Power is developing an 18MW one and even a larger 22MW design.
https://renewablesnow.com/news/mingyang ... pt-837415/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_m ... d_turbines

Written in 2019, suggests maybe 50MW as the limit.
https://spectrum.ieee.org/wind-turbines ... es-a-limit

Written in 2021, now out of date as the 16MW version is running and holds the current generation record.
"Chinese firm, MingYang, recently announced plans for an even more powerful device clocking in at 16MW."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-58704792

[dan_b]

Wow, didn't realise 16MW machines were already here.
Makes my statement out of date before I'd even posted it, lol.

[dan_b]

another article on the beyond 16MW turbines from the Chinese.

When built, they'll be taller than the Eiffel Tower

https://maritime-executive.com/article/ ... 20turbines.