http://www.newenergyworldnetwork.com/renewable-energy-news/by-technology/wind/nordex-enters-offshore-market-with-6mw-turbine.html

European wind turbine developer Nordex has unveiled plans to develop a 6MW turbine, signaling its entry into the offshore market.

It said the third generation turbines it was now looking to manufacturer will be characterised by a substantially greater output and lower specific weights.
Thomas Richterich, CEO of Nordex, said, ‘Only in this way is it possible for a large market of sufficient relevance to emerge in the medium term.’
Current predictions are that the offshore market will enter its first phase of maturity from 2015 onwards, with annual sales volumes at more than 5GW.
‘We have been preparing for this for a good two years,’ he said.
The new turbines have a rotor diameter of 150 meters, and the weight of the turbine head has been kept low due to the use of a new type of direct drive, it said.
‘Out at sea in particular, we must do everything we can to optimise the technical reliability of the turbine.
With cost structures differing to those in the onshore market, we are able to implement a more complex drive system, namely a direct drive,’ says Thomas Karst, CEO of the offshore division.