Europe’s Most Powerful Wind Turbine Sits Atop Floating Foundation

MHI Vestas has installed the first V164-9.5 MW turbine on a floating platform for the Kincardine offshore wind project.

The first V164-9.5 MW turbine was installed on a Principle Power WindFloat platform at the installation harbour in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

The turbine is the first of five such units to be installed at the Kincardine project offshore Scotland.

With a rated capacity of 9.525 MW, these turbines are the most powerful ones to be installed on a commercial wind farm anywhere in Europe.

They are also the most powerful turbines to be installed on a floating platform anywhere in the world, surpassing the MHI Vestas 8.4 MW turbines operating at the Windfloat Atlantic offshore Portugal.

“We are proud to have the most powerful turbines installed on a floating offshore wind platform,” said MHI Vestas Project Director, Allan Birk Wisby.

“The V164-9.5 MW turbines are an excellent fit for the Kincardine project, and it is a great achievement by the team to have completed first installation at the quayside. We look forward to completing the remaining 4 units.”

The 49.625 MW Kincardine, being developed by Cobra Group, is set to be the largest floating wind farm in the world by nameplate capacity.

The five MHI Vestas wind turbines will be installed about 15 kilometres off the coast of Kincardineshire at water depths ranging from 60 to 80 metres.

This first 9.5 MW turbine is expected to be anchored at the project site in December 2020, joining the 2 MW MHI Vestas unit which has been operating since October 2018.

“The Kincardine floating windfarm will be the biggest ever built,” Cobra Group said.

”The installation of the largest turbine ever to have been placed on a floating foundation represents a major milestone for the project and we are very much looking forward to seeing it generate power at site very soon.”