China has installed the world's first offshore wind turbine with a capacity of 20 MW, CGTN reports. The project was implemented by China Three Gorges Co.
The giant turbine was installed in the coastal waters of Fujian Province in southeastern China, more than 30 kilometers from the coast. The implementation of the project became a serious engineering challenge: the installers had to work at considerable depth, in difficult weather conditions, including during the monsoon season, and at extreme altitudes.
A new generation specialized vessel capable of lifting loads of up to 2,000 tons was used for the installation. Using high-precision positioning systems, the team lifted three blades, each almost 150 meters long, to a height of 174 meters and fixed them with jewel-like precision on the central core. In total, the distance from the surface of the water to the upper end of the blades is 321 meters, which is almost equal to the height of the Eiffel Tower at 324 m.
Once connected to the power grid, the turbine will be able to produce more than 80 million kWh of electricity per year, which is enough to supply about 44,000 households. From an environmental point of view, one such installation is capable of annually replacing about 24,000 tons of coal and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by about 64,000 tons. korrespondent.net.
