Spain joins offshore energy field

Installed by Gamesa, a global technology leader in wind energy, the 5 MW turbine also marks the company’s entry into the offshore energy segment.

The G128-5 MW wind turbine, the first 5 MW offshore platform prototype, has a rotor with a diameter of 128m and a total height of 154m.

Gamesa says the blades, each of which measures 62.5m long and weighs 15 tonnes, are the longest ever to be produced and transported in Spain and among the longest in Europe.

The G128 -5.0 MW offshore turbine was built using proven technology with redundant modules, guaranteeing reliable performance and maximising energy output.

Over 1.3 million engineering hours went into designing and validating the patented technology fitted into the offshore turbine in more than 100 accredited laboratories and testing centres in the US, Asia and Europe.

The turbine’s various parts were subjected to over 618 tests, including around 100 functional trials in the field.

Since it began operating last July, the turbine has been producing energy at full capacity. Since last year, more than 1 GWh has been dispatched to the grid and enough power generated to supply 7,500 households in the Canary Islands each year.

Type certification of the facility is expected by Q1 2014.

Elsewhere, Gamesa is working on a new generation of turbines that it says will meet emerging demands in the offshore market. The comany plans to develop 7/8 MW platforms.