Vestas upgrades 3 MW wind turbines, strengthens performance in all wind farm classes

Building on proven performance and responding to evolving customer requirements, the upgraded 3 MW platform will increase energy production and lower the cost of energy.

With this platform upgrade, Vestas boosts performance in all wind classes, increasing annual energy production by up to 12 percent depending on site-specific conditions. The upgrade’s most significant elements include larger rotor sizes in all wind classes; nominal power rating increase to 3.45 MW; optional power modes of up to 3.6 MW; tower heights of up to 166 meters; and the introduction of an advanced, next generation control system designed specifically for Vestas wind turbines.

With five rotor variants, two nacelle configurations, multiple power modes, and 15 hub heights, the 3 MW platform becomes substantially more versatile in its market coverage, maximising annual energy production and lowering the cost of energy at each unique wind site.

3 MW platform

• 7 GW of Vestas’ 3 MW turbines have already been installed in 27 countries worldwide. They are a mainstay in Europe and are becoming increasingly widespread in the Americas, Africa, and Asia – proving their worth in highly diverse conditions.
• The upgraded 3 MW platform meets diverse challenges through market-driven product development and extensive testing in the industry’s largest test facilities. Operating experience from over 2,000 turbines of this platform was applied when upgrading the 3 MW platform to maximise performance and reduce cost of energy.
• Larger rotor sizes are introduced to all wind classes. V136-3.45 MW is introduced to low wind, V126-3.45 MW is now able to operate in medium wind, and V117-3.45 MW is certified for high wind conditions. V112-3.45 MW and V105-3.45 MW are also certified for high wind conditions.
• The 166 m tower is the tallest onshore hub height ever put in production by Vestas, and is based on the Vestas proprietary Large Diameter Steel Tower (LDST) technology. LDST is a simple yet highly efficient way to reach higher hub heights to maximise utilisation of wind resource potential.
• The next generation advanced control system is based on industry 4.0 standards and input/outputs are significantly increased for a flexible and future ready system setup. Ethernet based, the leaner system reduces physical components housed in the turbine by 40 percent.

“The upgraded 3 MW platform adds versatility by broadening the portfolio of turbine combinations”, says Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer Anders Vedel. “The result is that customers can select the optimal turbine configuration with higher precision, boosting performance at each unique wind site and lowering the cost of energy. Standardised components deliver the reliability that customers expect from Vestas, while the added versatility allows for flexible site solutions”.

Delivery of the upgraded 3 MW platform will start in the fourth quarter of 2016.