Siemens Increases Power Output of Direct Drive Offshore Wind Turbine

Reliable technology is one of the primary levers in Siemens' goal to reduce the cost of offshore wind power generation. In this regard, the company's flagship offshore wind turbine, the SWT-6.0-154, has already set new standards in gearless turbine design.

Today, the market leader in offshore raises the bar yet again: Introducing a generator upgrade to seven megawatt (MW), the new Siemens SWT-7.0-154 delivers nearly ten percent more energy production than the predecessor under offshore wind conditions while retaining the same proven reliability: Development engineers have refined solely those turbine components needed to increase electrical output. The new model is already set to go into series production by 2017.

Stronger permanent magnets and generator segments in the permanent magnet generator provide the key to harvesting a higher yield. Additionally, the converter and transformer have been upgraded, in line with the higher electrical output: All other components remain the same tried and proven engineering of the 6-MW wind turbine, giving Siemens' customers the assurance of relying on proven technology and supply chain while significantly increasing energy production. The 6-MW-version will continue to be available for sales but following the improvements, Siemens has renamed the product platform to D7.

Siemens is presenting its new SWT-7.0-154 to the world's experts at the international wind power conference and exhibition EWEA Offshore 2015 in Copenhagen. The product is yet another innovative step by the company to lower the cost of generating electricity on the high seas. “Our new wind turbine offers our customers an investment as reliable as our proven G4 and D6 product platforms,” notes Offshore CEO Michael Hannibal of Siemens Wind Power and Renewables. “Yet it also answers market demands to achieve greater energy yield at lower cost and effort.”

Cost reduction through innovation is the key factor of the new turbine and also of new Siemens grid access solutions. The turbine's long structural design lifetime of 25 years and increased power rating create a remarkable cost of energy benefit. In transmission, Siemens is pursuing the same goal with its distributed power transmission technology, enabling grid connection of offshore wind turbines without the need for high-voltage alternating-current (HVAC) offshore substations. The conventional platform can be substituted by the new Siemens Grid Access Solution in AC-technology which acts as a distributed transmission asset and can be mounted together with a turbine on the same foundation or independently. This environmentally-friendly solution offers substantially reduced size, weight, and costs, while improving the customer's flexibility. 

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Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a global technology powerhouse that has stood for engineering excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality for more than 165 years. The company is active in more than 200 countries, focusing on the areas of electrification, automation and digitalization. One of the world's largest producers of energy-efficient, resource-saving technologies, Siemens is No. 1 in offshore wind turbine construction, a leading supplier of combined cycle turbines for power generation, a major provider of power transmission solutions and a pioneer in infrastructure solutions as well as automation, drive and software solutions for industry. The company is also a leading provider of medical imaging equipment – such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging systems – and a leader in laboratory diagnostics as well as clinical IT. In fiscal 2014, which ended on September 30, 2014, Siemens generated revenue from continuing operations of €71.9 billion and net income of €5.5 billion. At the end of September 2014, the company had around 357,000 employees worldwide.

Further information is available on the Internet at www.siemens.com

Reference Number: PR2015030149WPEN

Contact

Mr. Bernd Eilitz
Wind Power and Renewables Division
Siemens AG

Lindenplatz 2

20099 Hamburg

Germany

Tel: +49 (40) 2889-8842

bernd.eilitz​@siemens.com

Ms. Cordula Ressing
Wittelsbacherplatz 2

80333 Munich

Tel: +49 (9131) 18-3700

cordula.ressing​@siemens.com