Next generation wind turbines are driving a step change in MW capacity with innovation being at the forefront of these machines. The 12MW GE Halliade-X prototype recently hit the significant first power milestone but Siemens Gamesa are hot on the heels of GE as work has started on erecting the 11MW protoype at the Osterild test centre in Denmark.
With offshore turbines breaching the 10MW barrier and bringing significant benefits to developers they are not without their challenges. Bigger machines bring different technical and logistical challenges but Vekta Group are ideally placed to assist developers, having had experience working with the very latest turbine technology.
Offshore HV networks and switchgear designs need to adapt in order to better accomodate larger turbines which are starting to push even 66kV networks to the limits of available cables and equipment. Vekta Group has significant experience optimising offshore HV networks and is striving to ensure that the industry benefits from key lessons learned from the early 66kV projects.