Chinese wind turbine manufacturer MingYang Smart Energy has officially launched the world’s largest single-capacity floating wind turbine platform, known as Ocean X. This innovative design, featuring a dual-turbine ‘V’ shape, boasts a total capacity of 16.6 MW and was unveiled in the southern Chinese port city of Guangzhou. The Ocean X platform is estimated to produce 54,000 MWh annually, enough to power approximately 30,000 Chinese households.

MingYang Smart Energy’s offshore wind solutions are designed to generate power in deep waters up to 62 miles (100 kilometers) from shore and at depths of 100 meters. These solutions include the MySE 5.5MW, MySE 7.25MW, and the new Ocean X 16.6MW double-rotor floating wind systems. In December 2023, MingYang introduced the world’s first typhoon-proof wind turbine with an 18 MW power rating.

The Ocean X platform, a result of collaboration between MingYang Smart Energy, Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding Company, and China State Shipbuilding Corporation, represents a significant achievement in modern engineering. A 1:10-scale prototype was tested in 2020, and by April 2024, the full-scale installation of the Ocean X platform was completed.

The platform features twin counter-rotating rotors, each powered by MySE16.6(T) wind turbines with blade diameters of 597 feet (182 meters), mounted on a V-shaped structure. This structure is supported by high-tension cable stays and a Y-shaped floating platform, ensuring maximum stability. Weighing approximately 16,500 tons (15,000 tonnes), the floating platform is designed to operate in waters deeper than 115 feet (35 meters), harnessing optimal offshore wind resources.

The Ocean X turbines are engineered with full yaw capability to enhance efficiency. Constructed from ultra-high-performance concrete, the platform ensures durability and cost efficiency. Its single-point mooring system enhances stability in typhoon conditions while minimizing environmental impact. The Ocean X platform can withstand Category 5 hurricane conditions, withstanding winds up to 161 mph (260 km/h) and waves as high as 98 feet (30 meters). Remarkably, it can continue producing electricity under these extreme conditions by turning into the wind.

MingYang Smart Energy claims that the combination of advanced design and construction techniques makes the Ocean X platform a pioneering force in renewable energy. It is capable of meeting substantial energy demands while enduring harsh marine environments.

Wind turbines have increased in size and efficiency over time, with advancements allowing for more electricity production in a single spin. Moving turbines offshore has preserved land for other uses, such as farming, while taking advantage of faster-moving ocean winds has led to a booming offshore wind farming sector.

MingYang Smart Energy, based in Guangdong, China, has made headlines for developing increasingly powerful wind turbines. Since 2021, when it connected 14 MW turbines to the grid, MingYang has rapidly advanced to installing a 16 MW turbine and recently unveiled a 20 MW prototype. Competing with global leaders like Siemens Gamesa and domestic rivals such as GoldWind and CSSC Haizhuang, MingYang’s turbine diameters range from 853 to 958 feet (260-292 meters), sweeping an area equivalent to nine soccer fields.

With the launch of the Ocean X platform, MingYang Smart Energy continues to push the boundaries of offshore wind power, leading the charge towards a more sustainable future.

By Impact Lab