15MW: World’s largest onshore wind turbine set to power 160,000 homes yearly

A Chinese company has installed what it claims to be the world’s largest onshore wind turbine.

Sany Renewable Energy, part of Sany, a multinational heavy equipment manufacturer, announced that a 15 MW wind turbine was commissioned at a plant in Tongyu, Jilin Province, China.

The firm stated that the machine is a prototype and will undergo a year of testing to verify its reliability.

According to it, the SI-270150 model is the largest onshore turbine by single-unit capacity and features the largest rotor diameter—885 feet (270 meters)—of any onshore turbine installed globally so far.

“This remarkable achievement set two new global records for the largest single-unit capacity and the largest rotor diameter for onshore turbines,” said Sany, in a post on LinkedIn.

Recently, Chinese state-owned manufacturer CRRC unveiled plans to launch a 20 MW wind turbine model , one of the most powerful in the industry, aimed at the floating wind market.

Energy capacity boost

The 15 MW onshore wind turbine is a flagship product built on the firm’s 12.X-16.X MW platform. It has a design life of 25 to 30 years.

The system boasts a rotor diameter of 885 feet and blades that stretch 430 feet (131 meters), resulting in a maximum swept area of 616,159 square feet (57,256 square meters). With this massive capacity, a single unit can generate enough electricity to supply 160,000 households for an entire year.

The SI-270150 features a lightweight design and advanced intelligent load reduction technologies, helping minimize overall load while simplifying long-distance land transportation.

According to SAVI, the technologies enhance efficiency and ensure that the turbine can be transported to remote locations with fewer challenges.

The turbine’s drivetrain includes a dual tapered roller bearing (TRB) integrated main shaft support system, which provides high load-bearing capacity and stability, making it more resilient in various operating conditions.

Durable wind technology

In January, Sany officials reported that the first 430-foot-long blade for their wind turbines was produced at the Bayannur Smart Industrial Park. As blade length increases, so do the demands for greater stiffness and strength to prevent issues like stall, classical vibration, and even blade breakage.

To address these concerns, Sany developed an optimized aerodynamic design for the SY1310A wind turbine blade, featuring a large thickness and blunt trailing edge. This design enhances the blade’s overall absolute thickness, improving its structural integrity.

Sany has also integrated several cutting-edge technologies into its blade production. These include a three-dimensional design for trailing edge blind joint insertion, long-distance automatic infusion for big composite blades, and self-designed glass fiber pre-quilting technology.

These developments replace manual manufacturing with intelligent, automated processes, increasing productivity through digitally intelligent lean production.

To further improve the recyclability of ultra-long blades and increase sustainability, Sany included recyclable polyurethane structural components.

“The prototype of the 15MW wind turbine will now undergo over a year of operational testing in an experimental wind farm to thoroughly verify the reliability of its components and the complete system under real-world conditions,” said the firm.

By incorporating these new technologies, Sany hopes to advance wind turbine technology by creating stronger, more resilient blades and enhancing the sustainability and efficiency of the production process.