The prototype of the G128-4.5 MW wind turbine Gamesa erected in April 2009 at an R&D wind farm in Jaulín (Zaragoza) yesterday achieved a new record for energy output by a single turbine in Spain.
This multi-megawatt machine generated 97.34 MW/h while operating at 100-percent availability. This same prototype of the G10X-4.5 MW turbine system has achieved three previous milestones for wind energy generation in Spain: on 1 June 2011 -- the date of the highest energy output by a single turbine in Spain (98.26 MW/h); 8 October 2011 (96.48 MW/h); and 1 March 2011, when the turbine generated 95.19 MW/h.
The initial prototype of the G128-4.5 MW, the world's most powerful turbine for the onshore wind energy market, has delivered more than 6 GWh to the Spanish electricity grid this year, at an availability rate exceeding 97%.
This turbine's most distinguishing characteristics include its light weight, despite its size - a 120-metre tower and blades with a diameter exceeding 62.5 metres-; the competitiveness of its cost of energy (CoE); its ease of transport and assembly, comparable to that of a 2.0 MW turbine thanks to its segmented blade -unique in the world- and innovations such as the FlexiFit, a crane coupled to the nacelle and used as a tool for assembling and servicing the device.
The energy produced by just one Gamesa G10X-4.5 MW machine helps to generate an environmentally-benign energy source by preventing the release of polluting atmospheric emissions. The annual output of a single turbine can supply electricity to 3,169 households per year, replace approximately 1,000 tonnes of oil equivalent (toe/year) and prevent atmospheric CO2 emissions of 6,750 tonnes annually.
Wind energy's contribution to the power grid hits a record high
The record output achieved by the Gamesa turbine yesterday coincided with an all-time high contribution from wind energy to the power grid.
During a speech at the VII "Intelligent Power Grids: Towards a New Energy Model" conference, Red Eléctrica Chairman Luis Atienza noted that at approximately 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, 6 November, wind energy accounted for an "all-time high" of 59.6% of electricity demand. This figure exceeds the previous record of about 54%.