August 16, 2017
Denmark

MHI Vestas takes down burnt-out V164 prototype for probe

By Bernd Radowitz | Recharge | 16 August 2017 | www.rechargenews.com

Offshore wind turbine maker MHI Vestas has taken down a prototype of its flagship V164 turbine that caught fire for as-yet unknown reasons at the Østerild national test site in Denmark in order to better determine the cause of the incident.

“We looked at many different scenarios with the investigative teams on how best to determine and confirm the root cause of the incident,” chief technology officer Torben Hvid Larsen said.

“We are following the recommendation of the lead investigators who have tremendous expertise in this area and have decided this is the best course of action for the investigation to continue.”

MHI Vestas probes V164 turbine fire at Danish test centre

The Danish-Japanese joint venture so far has not been able to determine the root cause of the fire on 4 August, and says its own investigation will continue in earnest now that the turbine is down.

MHI Vestas could not give a timetable for the conclusion of the investigation.

The methodology and procedures involved in taking the turbine down on the evening of 15 August were developed with local authorities to ensure there will be no long-term impact on the surrounding environment, the company said.

The V164 is the most powerful wind turbine currently operating commercially following the installation of 8MW versions of the machine at the UK’s 258MW Burbo Bank Extension offshore wind farm.

The V164 is also in line for a half share at the 660MW Walney Extension, also a Dong Energy project off the UK. Future scheduled deployments include wind farms off Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.

MHI Vestas, a joint venture between Danish turbine manufacturer Vestas and Japanese industrial conglomerate Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, has helped lead the way towards the larger offshore machines seen as key to driving down cost-of-energy from future wind projects at sea.

Earlier this year the company unveiled a 9.5MW upgrade of the platform with a retooled transmission system that it said had already been earmarked for several projects.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2017/08/16/mhi-vestas-takes-down-burnt-out-v164-prototype-for-probe/