Giant offshore wind platforms are helping to grow the renewable energy industry

The world’s largest floating wind turbine, which rests on a single platform, was officially completed Wednesday in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, kicking off the country’s offshore wind industry.

Chen Faqiao, deputy general manager of business development at Mingyang Smart Energy Group, said OceanX will be able to generate an average of 54 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year, enough to cover the daily electricity needs of 30,000 three-person households for one year.

OceanX is also the world’s first floating offshore wind platform equipped with two wind turbines, with a pioneering V-shaped tower design and a total installed capacity of 16.6 megawatts.

It was independently developed by Chen’s company and built by China State Shipbuilding Corp Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding Company.

“The facility will be built off the coast of Yangjiang City in western Guangdong in the coming months,” Chen said.

He believes offshore wind turbines can effectively reduce energy costs per kilowatt, and OceanX’s low operating and maintenance costs will help expand the offshore wind industry from coastal waters to the deep sea.

Unlike a typical windmill-shaped platform, OceanX consists of a Y-shaped foundation floating on the sea, with three rugby ball-shaped floats, one V-shaped tower and two wind turbines.

The total displacement of the platform is about 15,000 metric tons. It has a draft of 5.5 meters and can be used in waters with a depth of more than 35 meters.

According to Chen, when a typhoon hits, the windmill can automatically adjust the blade angle to face the incoming wind, achieving maximum wind capture efficiency.

OceanX withstands extreme tests with wind speeds of up to 260 kilometers per hour and wave heights of up to 30 meters, he added.

Floating platforms are expected to become widespread, contributing to the development of the domestic offshore wind energy industry.

China’s offshore wind power is expanding from provincial waters to deep and distant seas, Chen said. Offshore wind projects planned in provincial exclusive economic zones have already reached more than 150 million kilowatts.

Compared to onshore wind power, offshore wind power has many advantages, including abundant wind resources, large amounts of available space and low transmission costs.

According to the China Renewable Energy Society, by the end of last year, more than 160 offshore wind farms had been built in 12 coastal provinces and more than 7,000 wind turbines had been installed.

The total installed capacity exceeds 39 million kilowatts, equivalent to 1.7 Three Gorges hydroelectric power plants.

According to the China Renewable Energy Society, China has established the most comprehensive and cost-effective new energy industrial chain in the world, providing strong support for the global transformation towards new energy and solving climate change challenges.