Press Presse Press Presse
Energy Sector
Wind Power Division
Hamburg (Germany), October 8, 2012
Wind turbine with the world’s largest rotor goes into operation
6-megawatt installation can produce electricity for 6,000 households
On October 6th 2012, Siemens Energy has begun field testing of its new 154 m rotor for the
6-megawatt (MW) offshore wind turbine in Østerild, Denmark. The SWT-6.0-154 turbine is
equipped with the world’s longest rotor blades – each blade is 75 meters in length. With a
record rotor diameter of 154 meters, each SWT-6.0-154 turbine can produce 25 million
kilowatt hours of clean electricity in offshore locations, enough to supply 6,000 households.
As early as May 2011, Siemens installed the first prototype of its new 6-MW turbine using a
120 m rotor. It has now been operating successfully for well over a year. The serial version
of the 6-MW turbine will use the 154 m rotor and is expected to become the new benchmark
in the offshore wind industry.
“The start of field testing of the 154 m rotor for the 6-MW is an exciting step in the development of
competitive technologies for the large offshore wind farms of the future. We incorporated our
technological expertise gained over more than three decades into the development of both the
gearless turbine and its 75-meter rotor blade”, says Henrik Stiesdal, CTO of the Wind Power
Division within the Siemens Energy Sector.
The gearless drive technology permits a compact design: Using Siemens` Direct Drive technology
the SWT-6.0 is the lightest turbine in its class, having a nacelle weight of only 200 tons. This
combination of robust design and low weight reduces offshore infrastructure, installation and
maintenance costs. “At the same time, the turbine delivers an increased energy yield and offers
greater profitability over its life cycle,” Stiesdal adds.
Siemens developed the SWT-6.0 specifically for demanding conditions in offshore locations. “The
new 6-megawatt turbine is a milestone in wind energy technology,” says Stiesdal. “Compared to
our first 30-kilowatt turbine, which we developed 30 years ago, the new STW-6.0-154 will produce
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Siemens AG
Corporate Communications and Government Affairs
Wittelsbacherplatz 2, 80333 Munich
Germany
Reference number: EWP201210001e
Media Relations: Meike Wulfers
Telephone: +49 40 2889-8702
E-mail: [email protected]
Siemens AG
Energy Sector – Wind Power Division
Lindenplatz 2, 20099 Hamburg, Germany
over a thousand times more energy per year.” The rotor blade development is equally impressive.
The first blade of the 30-kilowatt turbine was five meters long, approximately the length of a
minibus, while the new 75-meter rotor blades have a length corresponding to that of an Airbus 380
plane, the world’s largest aircraft.
The first Siemens 6-MW turbine was installed in May 2011 at the Høvsore test site in Denmark.
Due to height restrictions a 120 m rotor was used on the prototype. It has now operated for well
over a year, setting new production records during the testing. The record-breaking 154 m rotor is
mounted on a 6-MW turbine installed at the new national test center at Østerild, Denmark, and
formal release of the turbine took place at the inauguration of the test center on 6 October, 2012.
The B75 blade used in the new rotor is characterized by high stability and low weight. Special
aerodynamic profiles deliver optimum performance at a wide range of wind speeds. For the
manufacturing of the B75 blade, Siemens uses the patented IntegralBlade® process, which
permits rotor blades to be produced from a single casting without adhesive joints. An
IntegralBlade® is up to 20 percent lighter than blades manufactured with traditional methods.
Overall, combining an intelligent rotor blade profile with low weight helps lower the cost of wind
energy.
The new SWT-6.0-154 is already a commercial success. In July 2012, Siemens entered into a
Master Agreement with the Danish energy group, DONG Energy, for the delivery of 300 offshore
turbines of this type. The wind turbines are expected to be used in projects off the coast of the U.K.
Siemens will soon install two more SWT-6.0 prototypes in the British offshore wind power plant,
Gunfleet Sands. This will be the first time that the Siemens 6 MW wind turbine will be tested
offshore. Both machines for this project will be equipped with the 120 m rotor.
Wind energy is part of Siemens’ Environmental Portfolio. In fiscal 2011, revenue from the Portfolio
totaled about €30 billion, making Siemens one of the world’s largest suppliers of ecofriendly
technologies. In the same period, our products and solutions enabled customers to reduce their
carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by nearly 320 million tons, an amount equal to the total annual
CO2 emissions of Berlin, Delhi, Hong Kong, Istanbul, London, New York, Singapore and Tokyo.
The Siemens Energy Sector is the world’s leading supplier of a complete spectrum of products, services and solutions
for power generation in thermal power plants and using renewables, power transmission in grids and for the extraction,
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Siemens AG
Corporate Communications and Government Affairs
Wittelsbacherplatz 2, 80333 Munich
Germany
Reference number: EWP201210001e
Media Relations: Meike Wulfers
Telephone: +49 40 2889-8702
E-mail: [email protected]
Siemens AG
Energy Sector – Wind Power Division
Lindenplatz 2, 20099 Hamburg, Germany
processing and transport of oil and gas. In fiscal 2011 (ended September 30), the Energy Sector had revenues of
EUR24.9 billion and received new orders totaling approximately EUR31.8 billion and posted a profit of EUR3.9 billion. On
October 1, 2011, the Energy Sector had a work force of more than 82,000. Further information is available at:
www.siemens.com/energy.
Download of this press photos: http://www.siemens.com/windpower/pictures/EWP201210001
Siemens Press photo
Caption:
Installation of the new 154-meter rotor for the six-megawatt (MW) offshore wind turbine in Østerild, Denmark.
The direct-drive wind turbine is equipped with the world’s longest rotor blades – each blade measures 75
meters in length.
Siemens Press photo
Caption:
Installation of the new 154-meter rotor for the six-megawatt (MW) offshore wind turbine in Østerild,
Denmark. The direct-drive wind turbine is equipped with the world’s longest rotor blades – each blade
measures 75 meters in length.
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Siemens AG
Corporate Communications and Government Affairs
Wittelsbacherplatz 2, 80333 Munich
Germany
Reference number: EWP201210001e
Media Relations: Meike Wulfers
Telephone: +49 40 2889-8702
E-mail: [email protected]
Siemens AG
Energy Sector – Wind Power Division
Lindenplatz 2, 20099 Hamburg, Germany
Siemens Press photo
Caption:
Siemens employees after the successful installation of the new 154-meter-rotor. With a length of 75 meters
are these the longest blades in the world.
4/4
Siemens AG
Corporate Communications and Government Affairs
Wittelsbacherplatz 2, 80333 Munich
Germany
Reference number: EWP201210001e
Media Relations: Meike Wulfers
Telephone: +49 40 2889-8702
E-mail: [email protected]
Siemens AG
Energy Sector – Wind Power Division
Lindenplatz 2, 20099 Hamburg, Germany