China has the world's most powerful wind turbine, a 26-megawatt offshore model from Dongfang Electric, as reported by Electrek.
One commenter on the article said this is "just another sign of how far behind the U.S. is falling behind in critical infrastructure."
The prototype has been installed at a testing and certification base. The world's largest in capacity and size, the wheel diameter is more than 1,100 feet, and the hub height is over 600 feet.
Dogfang Electric, a state-owned manufacturer, designed the wind turbine for areas with wind speeds of eight meters (about 26 feet) per second and above. If the average wind speed is 10 meters (about 33 feet) per second, one of these turbines can generate 100 gigawatt-hours of energy each year. That is enough to power 55,000 homes.
This could make a huge positive impact on the environment, cutting coal consumption by 30,000 tons and reducing carbon pollution by 80,000 tons.
The prototype has successfully completed static load testing of the turbine's blades, and it will now undergo fatigue testing. It could be up to a year before the turbine is fully certified to operate.
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The turbine is storm-resistant, despite its huge size. According to New Atlas, it can withstand winds of up to 137 miles per hour.
China has been pushing for larger and more efficient wind turbines to take advantage of its offshore winds that can generate a great deal of power with the right infrastructure.
This prototype is a step toward achieving the country's goal of carbon neutrality by 2060. This would be no small task, considering that China is responsible for more pollution than any other country and is responsible for nearly 31% of the planet's carbon pollution.
Wind turbines require an expensive manufacturing, transportation, and installation process that is quite complex, but the benefits are enormous. The U.S. has been working to expand its wind turbine infrastructure, but this mission has been met with challenges from the current administration, which has promoted fossil fuels, nuclear, biofuels, hydropower, and geothermal as the energy sources of the future while spurning wind and solar projects.
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Though many of the commenters on Electrek's article were sarcastic about America's progress — or lack thereof — toward greater utilization of wind power, China's advances in sustainable energy should be celebrated as positive news for the planet.
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