The global demand for sustainable energy solutions optimized for low and ultra-low wind conditions continues to grow as renewable technology improves in efficiency, making more sites viable for wind energy. This trend is especially prominent in the world’s largest wind-energy market, China, where the wind industry at the same time is facing an increasingly competitive business environment with the transition to grid parity pricing and a more decentralized energy infrastructure with distributed wind projects.
To meet Chinese customers’ needs in this changing market environment, Vestas introduced the V155-3.3 MW variant in the Chinese market in June 2019. The turbine combines the largest rotor with the lowest power rating of Vestas’ globally proven 4-MW platform to optimize a project’s capacity factor in low wind speeds. This solution will improve customers’ business case by increasing annual energy production on park level (compared to the V120-2.2 MW), as well as providing high level output certainty in China’s growing number of low and ultra-low wind sites.
Vestas has secured the first order for the V155-3.3 MW turbine variant for two projects in China that total 201 MW. The order includes the supply of 61 turbines and towers as well as a 5-year Active Output Management 5000 (AOM 5000) service contract. Both projects are derived from the ongoing Chinese auction scheme.
“This order comes less than six months after the introduction of V155-3.3 MW, demonstrating the optimal market fit of the product in China’s low wind market,” said Thomas Keller, president of Vestas China. “Designed specifically to meet customer needs and market requirements in China, the V155-3.3 MW will offer our customers a lower cost of energy and better business case certainty. This will lay the foundation for success as the market transitions to distributed wind and grid-parity projects, causing a more competitive and complex business environment.”
The variant’s lower rotor rotational speed ensures low sound power levels that combined with the full-scale converter’s advanced grid capabilities, make the turbine highly suitable for China’s centralized projects as well as the increasing number of distributed wind-energy projects. The 76-meter blade is co-developed with a local partner, combining global and local expertise and underlining Vestas’ commitment to ensure competitiveness in the Chinese market.
“This order demonstrates how Vestas’ latest 4-MW variant is able to increase our customers competitiveness in the Chinese market by offering enhanced customer value and improved grid integration,” said Thomas Scarinci, senior vice president of Vestas Product Management. “The new variant shows how we, together with our local partners, continue to strengthen our offerings in the world’s largest wind energy market.”
Project delivery is expected to be in the third quarter of 2020, with commissioning in the same quarter. Customer and project’s names are undisclosed at the customer’s request.
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