Siemens Gamesa introduces 15MW turbine

This new turbine model has a rated capacity of 14MW but this can be expanded up to 15MW using the company’s Power Boost function that optimises the turbine to local wind conditions. The 222-metre diameter rotor for this turbine uses the new Siemens Gamesa B108 blades with each blade being 108 metres long. These blades are based on the IntegralBlade® technology and are moulded in one piece using patented Siemens Gamesa blade technologies.

The turbine has a swept area of 39,000 square metres and this allows the SG 14-222 DD to provide an increase of more than 25% in Annual Energy Production compared to the SG 11.0-200 DD offshore wind turbine, the company’s current largest. An important feature is that this new unit has a low nacelle weight of just 500 tonnes. This light weight is said to enable Siemens Gamesa to safely utilize an optimized tower and foundation substructure compared to a heavier nacelle and it also allows installation using many of the current installation vessels. Benefits also arise in the form of lower costs per turbine by minimizing sourced materials and reducing transportation needs, the company said.

The turbine prototype is expected to be ready in 2021, and the model will be commercially available in 2024, Siemens Gamesa said. The 14MW capacity allows one SG 14-222 DD machine to provide enough energy to power approximately 18,000 average European households every year.

“We’ve gone bigger for the better,” said Markus Tacke, the CEO of Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy. “Safely and sustainably providing clean energy for our customers and society-at-large is at the core of all we do. The new SG 14-222 DD is a global product which allows all of us take giant steps towards protecting and preserving our planet. Our installed fleet of over 100GW both offshore and onshore abates more than 260 million tons of CO2 emissions annually.”

Andreas Nauen, the CEO of the Siemens Gamesa Offshore Business Unit commented; ”The SG 14-222 DD demonstrates our drive to lead the way in a world powered by clean energy.”