Vestas’ V236-15.0 MW prototype wind turbine has produced its first kWh after being fully assembled at the Østerild National test centre for large wind turbines in Western Jutland, Denmark.
The wind turbine prototype will now undergo an extensive test and verification programme to ensure reliability before full-type certification and serial production begins.
The prototype development and assembly work have taken place across Vestas’ R&D and production sites in Denmark.
The blade moulds were developed at the company’s blade factory in Lem and the 115.5- metre long prototype blades were manufactured at Vestas’ blades factory in Nakskov.
In October, Vestas announced that it will begin serial production of the V236-15.0 MW blades from the third quarter of 2023 at its blade factory in Taranto, Italy.
The prototype nacelle was developed and assembled at the offshore nacelle factory in Lindø port of Odense.
The test programme for the generator, converter, and grid system integration has already started at the Lindø Offshore Renewables Center (LORC) test facility in Denmark.
With a swept area exceeding 43,000 m2, one single V236-15.0 MW unit is capable of producing enough energy to power more than 20,000 households.
The prototype stretches 280 metres into the air and has a production output of 80 GWh/year.
Launched in February 2021, Vestas has until now announced preferred supplier agreements for the V236-15.0 MW turbine for a total of more than 8 GW in five different markets.
In July last year, EnBW pre-selected Vestas to supply its 15 MW offshore turbines for the 900 MW He Dreiht project in the German North Sea and, a few months later, Equinor and bp named the company as the preferred turbine supplier for their 2.1 GW Empire Wind 1 and Empire Wind 2 projects in New York.
The model will also spin on the Atlantic Shores project off New Jersey, USA, the Inch Cape wind farm offshore Scotland, and the Baltic Power wind farm offshore Poland.
The turbine will make its offshore debut in 2024 at the Frederikshavn wind farm off Denmark.