In a new first for Scottish wind power, the world’s most powerful wind turbine has been successfully set up off the coast of Aberdeen. The developers, Vattenfall, claim that a single rotation of the 8.8 megawatt turbine generates enough electricity to power an average home for a day.
The larger project, which is named the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre, will include 11 of these giant structures in total. When the project is fully operational, it is expected that it will meet 70% of Aberdeen’s domestic energy needs.
Offshore windfarms are experiencing a trend towards larger turbines to improve efficiency, while lubricant manufacturers like ExxonMobil, the oil giant behind Mobil UK distributors, continually improve their lubricants to handle the increasing stress on components and the hard marine conditions.
The project had faced strong opposition from Donald Trump before he was elected US President, claiming that the view from his multi-million Balmedie golf resort would be marred by the turbines. In 2012, he wrote a strongly worded letter to Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond, warning Scotland not to destroy its beauty with such “monstrous turbines”. Trump also subsequently launched a legal challenge that was ultimately rejected by the UK Supreme Court in 2015.
Others have been more welcoming, however. The chair of Aberdeen’s Renewable Energy Group, Jean Morrison, said:
“It’s a real coup for the region to have the world’s most powerful turbines on its doorstep and cements Aberdeen’s position as a major global energy city. It also will lead us to a greener future.”
