The winds of change have never been stronger, especially when it comes to meeting the world’sneeds for clean, renewable energy. Siemens Gamesa’s new SG 14-222 DD offshore Direct Drivewind turbine now sees the light of day as a part of the solution.With an unprecedented 14-megawatt (MW) capacity – reaching up to 15 MW using thecompany’s Power Boost function, a 222-meter diameter rotor, 108-meter long blades, and anastounding 39,000 m2 swept area, the newest Siemens Gamesa wind turbine stands tall in aworld currently undergoing enormous upheaval.
“We’ve gone bigger for the better,” states Markus Tacke, CEO of Siemens Gamesa RenewableEnergy, who continues: “Safely and sustainably providing clean energy for our customers andsociety-at-large is at the core of all we do. The new SG 14-222 DD is a global product whichallows all of us take giant steps towards protecting and preserving our planet. We ourselvesbecame carbon neutral in late 2019 and are on track towards meeting our long-term ambition ofnet-zero CO2 emissions by 2050. Our installed fleet of over 100 GW both offshore and onshoreabates more than 260 million tons of CO2 emissions annually.”
“Offshore is in our DNA,” states Andreas Nauen, CEO of the Siemens Gamesa Offshore BusinessUnit. “Since we helped create the offshore wind industry in 1991, we’ve been determined tosafely increase operational performance, minimize technology risks, and create a consistentlylower Levelized Cost of Energy. The SG 14-222 DD demonstrates our drive to lead the way in aworld powered by clean energy. In fact, just one unit will avoid approx. 1.4 million tons of CO2emissions compared to coal-fired power generation over the course of its projected 25-yearlifetime,” he adds.
The 14 MW capacity allows one SG 14-222 DD machine able to provide enough energy to powerapproximately 18,000 average European households every year. Approximately 30 SG 14-222DD offshore wind turbines could furthermore cover the annual electricity consumption ofBilbao, Spain.
The 222-meter diameter rotor uses the new Siemens Gamesa B108 blades. As long as almostthree Space Shuttles placed end-to-end, each 108-meter long IntegralBlade® is cast in one pieceusing patented Siemens Gamesa blade technologies. Additionally, the turbine’s massive 39,000m2 swept area is equivalent to approximately 5.5 standard football pitches. It allows the SG 14-222 DD to provide an increase of more than 25% in Annual Energy Production compared to theSG 11.0-200 DD offshore wind turbine.
Furthermore, the new offshore giant features a low nacelle weight at 500 metric tons. This lightweight enables Siemens Gamesa to safely utilize an optimized tower and foundationsubstructure compared to a heavier nacelle. Benefits thus arise in the form of lower costs perturbine by minimizing sourced materials and reducing transportation needs.
Extending on the proven offshore direct drive track record, the SG 14-222 DD is based onSiemens Gamesa’s deep understanding and expertise gained over five product generations sincethe platform was launched in 2011. Key components such as safety systems, hub and towerconcepts, operations and maintenance solutions, along with a strong, qualified supply chainform the basis of the new offshore wind turbine.
Over 1,000 Siemens Gamesa Direct Drive offshore wind turbines have been installed in all majoroffshore wind markets globally. They include the UK, Germany, Denmark, The Netherlands,Belgium, and Taiwan, among others. Furthermore, confirmed orders for an additional 1,000Offshore Direct Drive turbines have been received, with installations planned for the marketsmentioned above and new offshore markets including the USA and France.
