Sany enters offshore wind with 9MW low-wind turbine

Sany explained that its first offshore wind turbine is designed for low- and medium- annual average wind speeds of around 7.5m/s. 

It is planned for use “in waters north of the Yangtze River” in northern China and will be most effective in water depths of 20 metres, the company added. 

The new model’s nacelle uses a doubly-fed generator. It also features anti-corrosion and dehumidification systems to improve durability and lifespan in the harsher conditions found at sea. 

The turbine was revealed from behind sliding doors with an explosion of glitter at the Sany facility on 31 March. 

Rival manufacturing majors such as Vestas, Goldwind, and MingYang are racing to develop ever more powerful offshore wind turbines – but Sany claims the largest turbines are “frequently offline”. 

The company added that it instead prioritises “reliability” and optimising commissioning, operation, and maintenance over size. 

Sany currently has installed 9.7GW of wind turbines, mostly in mainland China, according to Windpower Intelligence, the research and data division of Windpower Monthly. 

The company ranked among the top ten turbine makers by capacity ordered and by capacity installed last year. All of its turbine orders and turbine installations were onshore.

Last year, it unveiled an 8MW-plus onshore wind platform in Windpower Monthly.

China’s 29.9GW offshore wind fleet is the largest in the world.