The largest floating wind turbine

China has completed the installation of the world's largest floating offshore wind turbine. It stands 270 meters tall.

China has installed the world's largest floating wind turbine. Called the "Three Gorges Pilot," it has a capacity of 16 megawatts and is located offshore 70 kilometers off the coast of Yangjiang, Guangdong Province.

The numbers are impressive. The height to the tip of the blade is approximately 270 meters. The rotor diameter is 252 meters, meaning the area it covers during rotation is almost 50,000 square meters. The entire structure rests on a semi-submersible platform 80 meters long and 91 meters wide, weighing approximately 24,100 tons.

The turbine's key feature is that it floats. Conventional offshore wind turbines are anchored to the seabed with rigid supports, meaning they only operate in shallow water. Instead, nine suction anchors are used, coupled with polyester ropes and anchor chains. Engineers from China Three Gorges Corporation compare this hybrid system to a spring: it absorbs the load from waves and wind, reducing wear and tear on the structure. This approach allows turbines to be installed in deep water, where winds are stronger and more stable.

The expected annual output is 44.65 million kWh, enough to power approximately 24,000 households.