Ground-breaking multi-megawatt turbine has potential to transform wind power market

A ground-breaking next generation multi-megawatt turbine developed by the EU-funded ECOSWING project has the potential to transform the wind power market – the turbine looks set to change the way wind turbines operate and greatly expand the wind-energy sector.

Capable of producing more than three megawatts of electricity, enough to power a thousand homes, the two-bladed wind turbine will feature a unique high-temperature superconductor generator developed in the EU-funded ECOSWING (Energy Cost Optimization using Superconducting Wind Generators) project.

Weighing 40 % less than conventional generators, the state-of-the-art machine requires fewer manufacturing resources and is more cost-effective to build, transport and install.

Already successfully tested in the lab, the field test on the turbine, which is operated by lead partner in the project Envision Energy in Thyborøn, Denmark, will pave the way for the commercial deployment of a next generation of multi-megawatt turbines. This has the potential to open up new markets for wind power, supporting the global transition to renewable energy and ultimately lowering electricity costs.

The wind turbine has been operating at a demanding coastal site in Western Denmark, Thyborøn, near-shore to the North Sea.

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