Time-Lapse: World’s Most Powerful Offshore Wind Turbine Installed Off Scotland

Photo: Vattenfall

A time-lapse video has been posted online showing last months installation of the world’s most power wind turbine at Vattenfall’s European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre located just off the north-east coast of Scotland in Aberdeen Bay.

The turbine is the first of 11 to be deployed at the “ground-breaking” facility and one of two turbines at the wind farm that have been modified to generate 8.8MW of clean energy from the less powerful but still impressive 8.4MW versions.

Vattenfall says the installation, which took place on April 9, marks the first time an 8.8MW model has been deployed commercially in the offshore wind industry.

Together with the nine 8.4MW turbines, the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centres (EOWDC) will have an output to 93.2MW, equivalent to 70% of Aberdeen’s domestic electricity demand or approximately 134,128 tonnes of CO2 per year.

MHI Vestas has specially designed the V164-8.4 MW and V164-8.8 MW turbines which all have a tip height of 191 meters. Each blade is 80m long and the 164m rotor has a circumference larger than that of the London Eye’s.

EOWDC project director at Vattenfall, Adam Ezzamel, said: “The first turbine installation is a significant achievement and credit to the diligence and engineering know-how of the project team and contractors. For it to be one of the 8.8MW models makes it an even more momentous moment because it further endorses the EOWDC as a world-class hub of offshore wind innovation.”

The turbines were transported from Esbjerg to Aberdeen by Swire Blue Ocean’s wind farm installation vessel, the Pacific Orca, which lifted the turbines into position on the previously-installed foundations.

Check out the time-lapse below: