China-based Lianyungang Zhongfu Lianzhong Composites Group Co., Ltd. (LZ Blades) has rolled out a 123-metre long blade which the company claims is the world’s longest wind turbine blade.
The blade, which will be adapted to be installed on 16 MW offshore wind turbines, weighs 50 tonnes, exceeds 5 metres in diameter, and has a swept area that surpasses 1,00 square metres.
The manufacturer was able to find a solution to ensure that the blade is processed under low deformation conditions by simulating and predicting the blade deformation and then optimising the support.
The company also produced three more 100+ metre blades in the last 12 months, including a 102-metre, 110-metre, and 112-metre long wind turbine blade.
For comparison, Vestas’ flagship model, the V236-15.0 MW™ offshore wind turbine, will feature 115 -metre blades while MingYang’s recently launched 111.5-metre blade will most likely be fitted on the company’s MySE 12 MW hybrid drive, typhoon-resistant offshore wind turbine.
In April, Siemens Gamesa started production of the first B115 blades which will be tested on the SG 14-236 DD prototype offshore wind turbine.