Ilaria Rosella Pagliaro China is focusing on wind innovation with OceanX, the largest double turbine platform in the world: resistant to category 5 hurricanes, this 16.6 MW structure is capable of powering 30,000 homes and can also operate in isolation
LinkedIn – Mingyang Smart Energy
China’s offshore wind industry has reached a new milestone. Mingyang Smart Energy has just unveiled OceanX, the world’s first double-headed wind turbine. This gigantic energy producer, with a nominal rating of more than 16 MW, is the first of its kind to be installed at the Yangjiang Qingzhou IV wind farm, 43 miles off Guangdong. OceanX has been designed to supply up to 30,000 households and is even capable of operating in Category 5 hurricanes.
A platform that breaks all records
It is a wonder in engineering featuring a V-shaped tower and twin turbines, each supplying 8.3 MW of power for a combined 16.6 MW. It stands at 719 feet tall by 1,210 feet wide and is an official Guinness World Record as the world’s largest floating wind platform. It is designed to operate in waters above 115 feet deep; it weighs an astonishing 36.4 million pounds and displaces about 33 million pounds of water. The anchoring system includes new design cables without joints, for less impact on the environment, making the platform more stable, safe from corrosion.
Extreme destructive power-hurricanes and storms
No other wind platform has ever been able to cope with the extreme weather conditions that OceanX is able to put up with. It could work during Category 5 hurricanes at 161 mph wind speed and 98 feet high waves while continuously generating electricity. Its counter-rotating blade design increases efficiency by 4.29% compared to single-turbine models. The autonomous power and control systems enable OceanX to operate independently.
It applied ultra-high-strength concrete rated for 16,679 psi in its construction to make it very durable and long-lasting. The commissioning of OceanX shows the next step in development with regards to deploying innovative technologies that will unlock the full potential of offshore wind.
Source: Myse
