Development in New Big Wind Turbine Concepts
Figure 1: Average Size of Wind Turbines Installed Annually, Onshore and Offshore
Figure 2: Growth Trends – Rated Capacity and Rotor Diameter for Offshore Wind Turbines
16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2
2000 2002 2004 2006 Source: European Wind Energy Association, 2011b.3 Figure 3: Trends in Specific Rotor Area and Mass
3,400 3,200 3,000 2,800 2,600 2,400 2,200 2,000 1,800
2000 2002 Enlarged rotors 2008 2010 Deployment date (1st prototype) 2012 180
120 160
100 140
40 80
20 60
0 2014
Enlarged generators 2004 2006 Source: European Wind Energy Association, 2011b.3
scale that are developing as wind turbine technology becomes increasingly mature. The boom in the offshore wind sector allows the deployment of larger machines: spatial issues, noise restrictions, tip height, visual impact and so forth are less of an issue when operating at sea.
Beyond the development of larger turbines, the industry is, in parallel, addressing the supply-chain challenges. Increasing turbine size significantly impacts the supply chain, from the design stage through to manufacturing, installation, operation and maintenance.
• Wind turbine design: designing larger machines requires updated standards that need to incorporate manufacturing with transport, installation and operation and maintenance. This will allow for an integrated approach, optimising different variables at the same time.
• Wind turbine structure: larger machines face increased fatigue loads, which impact the structural requirements and require enhanced control. New concepts have to be applied for rotor blades to enable efficient and feasible operation. New materials are being developed for this, together with innovative new designs for many components of the drive train. However, each of the new concepts has to minimise any weight increase. The objective is to grow in size without excessively increasing weight. Saving in weight is not only crucial to reduce loads on the turbine itself, but also for the transport and port infrastructure and installation logistics. Large wind turbines are already a challenge for the existing supply chain, heavy wind turbines add to the complexity and could constitute a severe bottleneck.
48 MODERN ENERGY REVIEW – VOLUME 4 ISSUE 1 2008 2010 Deployment date (first prototype) 2012 2014
3.5 3.0
1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5
0.5 0 1991
Onshore 0.2 Offshore 0.5
1992 0.2
1993 0.3
1994 0.4
00 0.5
1995 0.5
0.5
1996 0.5
0.6
1997 0.5
0
1998 0.6
0.6
1999 0.7
0
2000 0.7
2.0
2001 1.1
1.9
2002 1.4
2.0
2003 1.4
2.2
2004 1.3
2.4
2005 1.5
3.0
2006 1.6
3.0
2007 1.7
2.9
2008 1.5
2.9
2009 2.1
2.9
2010 1.8
2.9
Specific area (m2/MW)
Rated Capacity (MW)
Rotor Diameter (m)
MW
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