The world’s longest wind turbine blade, measuring 153 meters, has recently been successfully delivered to Guangli Port in Dongying, Shandong Province. The world’s heaviest nacelle, weighing over 500 tons, was also delivered to the port alongside the blade.
The world’s longest wind turbine blade, measuring 153 meters, has been delivered to Guangli Port in Dongying, Shandong Province. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
Both are key components of the world’s largest single-unit 26-megawatt offshore wind turbine developed by Dongfang Electric Corporation.
A photo of the 153-meter blade [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
Transporting the 153-meter blade from the factory to the sea port proved to be a serious challenge due to overhead power lines, bridges, and sharp turns. With this in mind, the delivery team began preparations six months in advance by conducting multiple inspections, and designed a customized “sectional escort” plan to ensure smooth delivery.
The 500-ton nacelle exceeded the port’s regular lifting capacity. The team raced against the tide, rolling it ashore during a two-hour high tide window at dawn. Guided by wave sensors and a dynamic balancing system, they completed the landing within moments of tide change — solving a major challenge in handling ultra-heavy nacelles at ports.
With the core components now loaded for shipping, the 26 MW offshore wind turbine will soon be ready for installation. The hub height reaches 185 meters — equivalent to a 63-story building — while its rotor sweep covers an area equal to 10.5 standard football fields. At an average wind speed of 10 m/s, a single unit can generate 100 million kWh of clean electricity annually, meeting the yearly electricity needs of 55,000 households, saving over 30,000 tons of standard coal, and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by more than 80,000 tons annually.
(Executive editor: Yuan Ting)
