Offshore wind is undergoing transformational improvement as a key solution to the energy transition. The continuous iteration and evolution of wind turbine technology have enabled developers to venture into deeper waters and to tap into further wind resources. The company is always motivated to drive this trend through innovation, and has reached a new milestone with the introduction of the new MySE 16.0-242, one of the world’s largest Hybrid Drive wind turbines.

Designed for high-wind IEC IB including typhoon-class IEC TC, the powerful MySE 16.0-242 features a nameplate capacity of 16 MW, a 242 m diameter rotor, 118 m long blades, and a 46 000 m2 swept area equivalent of more than six football fields.

A single MySE 16.0-242 turbine can generate 80 000 MWh/yr of electricity, enough to power more than 20 000 households. In comparison, it produces 45% more energy than the company’s previous turbine model, the MySE 11.0-203.

The environmental benefit is also considerable: compared to coal-fired power generation, one MySE 16.0-242 can eliminate more than 1.6 million t of CO2 emissions over the course of its designed 25 year lifespan, making it a strong contributor to achieving the goal of carbon neutrality.

Extending the super compact design and Hybrid-Drive concept, MySE 16.0-242 builds on the company’s deep understanding and expertise gained over multiple smaller, lightweight offshore models, ranging from 5.5 MW, 6.45 MW, 7.25 MW, 8.3 MW to 11 MW series.

The nacelle weight of the MySE 16.0-242 is competitively low at less than 37 t per MW. Compared to a heavier nacelle, its modest head mass allows for more efficient use of the tower and foundation construction, resulting in fewer purchased materials and logistics.

The company’s Hybrid-Drive transmission technologies, particularly the medium-speed planetary gearbox with load sharing and forced high precision main bearing lubrication, have been fully optimised and inherited to ensure the robustness and efficiency of this new turbine, as well as deliver excellent economic performance on both bottom-fixed and floating system applications.

In addition, MySE 16.0-242 provides many other distinctive advantages by adopting novel offshore-dedicated features and ‘best practice’ technologies.

To begin, as a new feature over previous models, all power electronics and MV-transformer have been relocated up tower into the nacelle, simplifying cabling and enhancing system maintenance convenience.

Secondly, an air-tight design protects the nacelle from harsh salt spray corrosion while yet allowing for internal natural air cooling, resulting in an ideal operational environment for reliable operation within the nacelle.

In summary, the MySE 16.0-242 is the start of the company’s new 15 MW+ offshore product platform. In the future, it is planned to grow into a portfolio of model variants that can adapt to various offshore settings, ranging from the typhoon-prone South China Sea to the constantly windy North Sea in Europe.

The company is committed to growing its global presence and serving customers in all mainstream offshore wind markets including Europe, the Americas and Asia-Pacific. As part of the key global strategies, it established the business and engineering centre in Hamburg, Germany, and is also exploring developing overseas manufacturing facilities.

MySE 16.0-242, which was recently certified by DNV and China General Certification Center (CGC) for design, is scheduled for full prototype rollout in 2022, to be followed by prototype installation in 1H2023 and commercial production in 1H2024.