Danish turbine-maker Vestas has unveiled a new 4MW platform that are designed to handle extreme weather conditions.

V112 installation, Macarthur Windfarm, Australia

Image: Vestas introduces new turbine platform for extreme weather conditions. Photo: Courtesy of Vestas Wind Systems A/S.

Vestas will showcase its new V136-4.2 MW Extreme Climate wind turbine at the ongoing 2019 Japan Wind Expo, being conducted in Tokyo. The new wind turbine platform is claimed to generate maximum energy under low and medium wind speeds.

Serial production of the new V136-4.2 MW Extreme Climate is expected to begin in the middle of 2021 and deliver later that year.

The new turbine is touted to specifically suit several projects sites with severe climate conditions in Japan and Asia and it could be suitable for other markets with similar conditions around the world, such as Southern China, Caribbean and UK, for both onshore and offshore sites.

The design of the new turbine is based directly on its V136-4.2 MW turbine and the extreme climate variant includes design optimizations that include re-enforced blade and strengthened hub.

The variant is claimed to withstand extreme wind speeds of 53 m/s  that exceed IEC class I extreme wind speed, and extreme wind gusts of up to 74-78 m/s. It can also withstand above-average frequency events and intensity of lightning strikes associated with Typhoons, such as those seen in Japan.

Vestas product strategy vice president Thomas Korzeniewski said: “With the introduction of V136-4.2 MW Extreme Climate, Vestas is connecting our proven technology with customised solutions to help customers unlock low to medium wind sites with high turbulence.

“The larger rotor delivers improved energy production, with the strength and versatility necessary to handle extreme wind gusts and high turbulence.”

The new turbine platform will leverage Vestas’ wide range of turbine options and solutions including site-specific tower solutions such as large diameter steel towers, transportation solutions for challenging sites, full type certificate for global applicability, along with project specific solutions such as Vestas Cold Climate Solutions and High Wind Operation (HWO).

Last month, the company had introduced EnVentus, a modular platform with two variants including V150-5.6 MW and V162-5.6 MW. These two turbine platforms together cover low, medium and high wind conditions.