Dongfang Electric erects 18-MW wind turbine at Chinese test site

China’s Dongfang Electric Corporation (DEC) has installed an 18-MW offshore wind turbine, the company said on Friday.

The big semi-direct drive turbine developed by the Chinese manufacturer was erected last week at a coastal test base in Shantou in South China's Guangdong province.

The turbine has a 260-metre (853 ft) rotor diameter and a swept area of 53,000 sq m. According to the company, it is expected to generate 72 GWh of electricity per year, which is equivalent to the demand of around 36,000 households.

In 2023, Chinese wind turbine manufacturer Ming Yang Smart Energy Group Ltd presented a 22-MW offshore wind turbine concept.

Earlier this year, meanwhile, GE Vernova abandoned plans to upsize its Haliade-X turbine platform to 18 MW.

🆕A new 18 MW semi-direct drive offshore wind turbine, developed by #DEC, was installed at a coastal test base in Shantou, South China's Guangdong province, on June 5.

✅With a 260-m rotor diameter, the turbine has a swept area of 53,000 sq m, equivalent to 7.4 standard football… pic.twitter.com/85I9E0TpRi

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