Record-breaking 154 meters wide wind turbine

[Simon]

Check out this huge wind turbine, from Green Blog:

"Siemens has produced the world's longest rotor blades for wind turbines. Measuring 75 meters in length, the blades are almost as big as the wingspan of an Airbus A380."

Amazing!

How big do you think these things can get?

[Rhonda]

That is huge, but it does make sense if it's going to produce more power. I'm not sure building turbines of this size is a good idea for off-shore locations, though. Not only is it going to take a lot more effort and resources to make sure it's secure, it will also entail large expenditures of resources to deal with any maintenance. I hope that doesn't put the carbon equation too far on the plus side.

[Sweetpea]

That is huge, but it does make sense if it's going to produce more power. I'm not sure building turbines of this size is a good idea for off-shore locations, though. Not only is it going to take a lot more effort and resources to make sure it's secure, it will also entail large expenditures of resources to deal with any maintenance. I hope that doesn't put the carbon equation too far on the plus side.

I tend to agree. Bigger is not always better.

Technically speaking if everyone installed solar panels on their available roof space there would be very little need for as much generated electricity. Im surprised there is not more at home wind turbine technology. In places like where I live we have a steady wind almost year round. They are begining to scratch the surface of turbines here and the first windfarms are being installed as we speak.

[Simon]

I'm not sure building turbines of this size is a good idea for off-shore locations, though.

Well, because offshore wind projects are quite expensive it makes sense to build a fewer big wind turbines instead many small ones. And like everything else, these wind turbines require maintanance, but its easier to maintain a few large wind turbines instead of many smaller ones.

[sillylucy]

I also agree that bigger does not mean better. It would make more sense that the amount of material they used to make one of these would be better used making a lot of smaller ones to generate more energy. I agree with the idea of less maintenance, but if this one breaks then there is more of a loss of material/production compared to a smaller one being broken.

[Simon]

I also agree that bigger does not mean better. It would make more sense that the amount of material they used to make one of these would be better used making a lot of smaller ones to generate more energy. I agree with the idea of less maintenance, but if this one breaks then there is more of a loss of material/production compared to a smaller one being broken.

Just because the windmills are smaller doesn't mean that they will require less material to construct. If you were to compare between one of these huge windmills and another smaller one, then sure. But you have to consider that these massive windmills will generate much more electricity than a smaller one, so it makes sense to build them bigger.

And this is especially true when it comes to offshore windfarms where it will be cheaper to build a few large ones instead of many smaller windmills. Just imagine the costs and work involved to place 50 wind turbines out in the sea when you would, with the bigger wind turbine design, only need to construct and place about 25.

[justusforus]

That is a massive turbine, but it does make sense as you have explained for offshore use and fiscal economy.  There are many "fields" of turbines in the high deserts of California and I always find them to seem unearthly yet beautiful as they dot the landscape.

[Carsten]

This same topic was on the news here a while back, and I do have to say WOW at the engineering feat it's just amazing, but does make me wonder if wind on a smaller scale is  better option, such as residential grid connect solar right now, but in the case of wind having lots of smaller vertical wind turbines instead of the huge eye sores such as the above design.

[hedonologist]

Do you know exactly how much energy this turbine will produce? I think this is a positive step as people would generally tolerate 2-3 very large turbines rather than 40-50 dotting the landscape. Anything that will increase public approval is good. If only a few of these are needed, then the land area covered will be less also.

[Lacey]

I love this, what a great thing to produce energy this way and with something so massive.  I would love a small turbine in my yard to help produce energy to cut my electric bill, but to also be more energy efficient and conscious about what "regular" energy is doing to our world.  I am all for more turbines such as this  being built.