Japanese electronics giant Mitsubishi has unveiled that it is developing an offshore wind turbine with a minimum generating capacity of 7MW.
Prototyping of the SeaAngel device will begin next year with a full scale demonstration system expected to be in place in the UK by 2013. It will feature technology by Artemis Intelligent Power (AIP), which Mitsubishi purchased last year, with experts in the UK, Europe and Japan hoping the AIP hydraulic solutions will offer improved reliability and efficiency while reducing maintenance costs.
Akio Fukui, CEO of Mitsubishi Power Systems Europe, said, 'The successful development of SeaAngel - which will be unique in both size and technology - will play an important role in helping to maintain and enhance the UK's preeminent global position in the offshore wind sector.'
Win Rampen, managing director of AIP, added, 'This marks a significant step forward for offshore wind technology, with the breadth and depth of [Mitsubishi] expertise and skills combined with AIP's pioneering hydraulic technology producing incredibly exciting initial results. Less than one year after announcing our plans to develop biggest highly innovative offshore turbine, we've successfully demonstrated the technology and are set to take SeaAngel to the next level with further testing in 2012.'
When it hits the market it is likely to be one of the largest turbines available but there will be competition from Vestas which is developing a 7MW product of its own and has just selected a manufacturing facility in Demark for the production of prototype nascelles.