First next generation 6MW offshore wind turbine installed in UK

The first 6MW wind turbine has been installed at a commercial wind farm in the North East of England in a move that signals a significant milestone in the industry.

The Siemens turbine represents the next generation of larger machines that are designed to produce greater energy yields than current models.

The new turbine is the first of 35 that will be installed at the Westermost Rough offshore wind farm, located off the Holderness coast in the North Sea.

The project is due for completion in the first half of 2015 and is expected to have a capacity of 210MW.

The project is 8km off the East Riding of Yorkshire coast and is the first commercial project to feature the German manufacturer’s next-generation hardware.

The installation is expected to have a significant impact on the industry as the new generation of turbines boosting output and reducing costs for offshore wind farms.

Developers would need more than 58 turbines to generate 210MW of capacity at Westermost Rough using Siemens' 3.6MW turbine, in contrast to the 35 that will be needed for the new project.

Siemens is expecting the demand for the 6MW model to grow over the coming years and has committed to building a factory in Hull to produce the turbines from 2016.

Duncan Clark, programme director for Westermost Rough at DONG: "This is the first time we have installed the Siemens 6MW turbine with a 154m diameter rotor on a commercial scale following smaller demonstration projects, and it represents a step change in our ability to provide more energy output from fewer turbines.”

Michael Hannibal, Siemens Wind Power chief executive said: "Only a few days after our turbine obtained its final certification it is in place for commercial operation. We are very proud to achieve this milestone on the way to enhancing efficiency and lowering the cost of offshore wind energy with our innovative direct drive technology."