Vestas V236-15.0 MW wind turbines produce first kWh

Vestas has completed the installation of the V236-15.0 MW prototype wind turbine at the Østerild National test center for large wind turbines in West Jutland, Denmark. The prototype has successfully produced its first kWh of power and will now undergo an extensive test and verification program to ensure reliability before full type certification and series production begins.

“This is a big step forward in our ambition to accelerate the transition to green energy and is an important milestone for Vestas and our partners. Vestas colleagues have worked very hard and collaborated closely to ensure rapid progress in the development and assembly of the V236-15.0 MW prototype, and this achievement is a testament to the dedicated work of the many Vestas employees involved. With this wind turbine, we set new standards for technological innovation, industrialization and scale in renewable energy to create a sustainable offshore wind industry,” says Anders Nielsen, CTO of Vestas.

The prototype development and assembly work has been carried out at Vestas R&D and production centers in Denmark. Blade molds were developed at Vestas’ blade factory in Lem and 115.5m long prototype blades were manufactured at Vestas’ offshore blade factory in Nakskov. The gondola prototype has been developed and assembled at the offshore gondola factory in the port of Lindø in Odense. The test program for the integration of generator, converter and grid system has already started at the LORC test facility in Denmark.

With a swept area of more than 43,000 m2, the V236-15.0 MW offers industry-leading performance and pushes the limits of wind power production to around 80 GWh/year, enough to power around 20 000 European homes and displace more than 38,000 tons of CO2 each. year. .

The V236-15.0 MW is designed to deliver excellent performance while reducing the number of turbines at the farm level, strengthening the business case for the project. The globally applied offshore turbine offers 65% higher annual power output than the V174-9.5 MW, and for a 900 MW wind farm increases output by five percent with 34 fewer turbines. It offers excellent part load production, resulting in more stable power production and a capacity factor of more than 60 percent depending on specific site conditions.

Launched in February 2021, Vestas has so far announced preferred supplier agreements for the V236-15.0 MW turbine totaling more than 8 GW in five different markets.