Vestas has introduced the V182-7.2MW, a new turbine variant that retains the 7.2 MW rating of the existing V172-7.2MW while increasing rotor diameter to 182m.
The turbine is based on Vestas’ EnVentus platform and is aimed primarily at low- to medium-wind sites. The company says the larger rotor can increase annual energy production by up to 6% and reduce levelised cost of energy compared with the V172-7.2MW, depending on site conditions.
With the same rated output spread across a larger swept area, the V182-7.2MW has a specific rating of 277 W/m2. Vestas says this can increase capacity factor by up to two percentage points. The greater swept area allows the turbine to capture more energy at lower wind speeds, potentially shifting a larger proportion of generation into periods when power prices are higher.
According to Vestas, this can improve capture prices by up to 3%, while also helping projects manage grid constraints by producing more electricity without increasing the turbine’s maximum rated output.
Felix Henseler, Vestas’ chief technology and operations officer, said the turbine was designed to improve project economics while retaining the established architecture of the EnVentus platform.
The V182-7.2MW is intended for global deployment, with Vestas identifying Europe, Australia, South Africa and North and South America as key markets for low- to medium-wind applications. The company says EnVentus turbines are already installed in more than 25 countries.
The new model continues Vestas’ strategy of developing existing turbine platforms rather than introducing an entirely new architecture. EnVentus incorporates technology developed across the company’s 2 MW, 4 MW and 9 MW platforms and has more than 15 GW of installed capacity worldwide.
