Taiwan’s Hai Long 2 offshore wind project will use Siemens Gamesa’s recently introduced 14 MW SG 14-222 DD offshore wind turbine.
The 300 MW offshore wind farm will be located approximately 50 km off the coast of Changhua County. Nacelle production for the project will begin in Taichung in 2024 and turbine installation will follow thereafter.
The exact number of units for project is yet to be confirmed. The deployment of the new turbine for the rest of the 1,044 MW Hai Long project pipeline is also being considered.
Siemens Gamesa launched the 14 MW turbine last week. With a power boost function it can reach up to 15 MW output. According to Markus Tacke, the company’s ceo: “We’ve gone bigger for the better.”
Each turbine requires 108 m-long blades and a relatively lightweight 500-tonne nacelle. The prototype will be ready in 2021 and the model will be commercially available in 2024.
The rapid increase in size of offshore wind turbines has seen monopiles and transition pieces follow suit – some with diameters up to 11 m, lengths up to 120 m and weights up to 2,400 tonnes.
With governments around the world aiming to drastically cut their carbon emissions in the coming years, wind turbine manufacturers will continue to push the boundaries – which in turn will bring about increased challenges for the supporting transport and logistics industry.
The next issue of HLPFI will include reports on the offshore wind energy sector, as well as our annual Ships and Shipping Lines supplement. If you would like to share your thoughts the expanding world of offshore renewable, please contact editorial@heavyliftpfi.com.
