DONG Energy Installs World’s Largest Wind Turbine

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Danish wind energy giant DONG Energy has completed the installation of the world’s largest wind turbines at the Burbo Bank Extension offshore wind farm in England.

DONG Energy announced last week that it had successfully completed the installation of the first of thirty-two 8 MW wind turbines at the Burbo Bank Extension offshore wind farm which it is developing, currently under construction in Liverpool Bay, off the west coast of England.

The 8 MW wind turbines, built by Vestas, are the largest in the world, standing at 195 meters — in excess of two Big Bens.

This is the first time Vestas’ V164-8.0 MW wind turbines will be used in an offshore wind farm, though certainly not the last, as the number of extra-large-scale offshore wind farms continue to grow. Upon completion, the Burbo Bank Extension will have a final capacity of 258 MW, and generate enough electricity to supply approximately 230,000 UK homes with clean electricity.

“The installation of this world-first technology shows that DONG Energy is leading the way in offshore wind energy,” said Claus Bøjle Møller, Project Director at DONG Energy. “By using bigger turbines, we’re able to bring down the cost of providing clean, renewable energy to homes around the UK. This first turbine is a significant achievement for the project, and we’re looking forward to producing the first green energy later this year.”

DONG Energy confirmed its intention to build the 258 MW Burbo Bank Extension offshore wind farm back in December of 2014. Meanwhile, it was in February of 2014, while DONG Energy was still mulling over its decisions, that Vestas confirmed that its V164-8.0 MW turbines would be used for the Burbo Bank Extension.

“The performance of the 8 MW turbine from Vestas is very promising,” Samuel Leupold, Executive Vice President in DONG Energy, said at the time. “I see this as a very concrete step towards reducing the cost of electricity from offshore wind. A competitive market for all components is essential to accomplishing this. I look forward to working with Vestas and the other members of our supply chain to find further reductions in the cost of electricity.”

The Burbo Bank Extension is expected to reach completion and full commissioning in the first half of 2017.