China has installed the world's first 20-megawatt offshore wind turbine, which can generate enough electricity for around 44,000 homes.
Company China Three Gorges Co., one of the world's largest energy companies, is pushing the boundaries of clean energy. The turbine is located in the waters of the southeastern province of Fujian and represents a significant advance in marine engineering as well.
Implementing a project of this size was extremely challenging. The installation site lies more than 30 kilometres offshore, where the team faced deep waters, unpredictable monsoon seasons and the enormous risks of working at high altitude.
To overcome these challenging conditions, the workers used a huge modern installation ship capable of lifting 2,000 tonnes. Using advanced positioning systems, they lifted three huge blades - each nearly 150 metres long - to a height of 174 metres and precisely connected them to the turbine's central hub.
The turbine is the flagship project of China's energy goals, consists entirely of domestic components and has a lightweight design. It weighs more than 20 percent less per megawatt than the industry average, allowing it to be built on a more affordable underwater base and reducing costs.
Once connected to the grid, the turbine can generate more than 80 million kilowatt hours of electricity per year, enough to supply around 44,000 homes.
From an environmental point of view, one turbine of this size can replace about 24,000 tonnes of coal per year and prevent the emission of 64,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
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