China has installed the world’s largest floating offshore wind turbine, taking a big step forward in deep-sea renewable energy.

The 16-megawatt turbine, named “Three Gorges Pilot,” was set up on Saturday more than 43 miles (70 kilometers) off the coast of Yangjiang in Guangdong Province, according to the project’s developers.

The new system centers on a 16 MW wind turbine supported by a floating structure. Unlike traditional offshore turbines, this one can work on a semi-submerged base, allowing it to operate in deeper waters where winds are stronger.

Giant turbine moves into deep waters

The turbine’s tip reaches over 885 feet (270 meters) high, and its rotor is about 827 feet (252 meters) across. The area it covers is about the size of seven football fields, letting it capture a lot of wind energy with each turn.

Because of its size, this turbine is one of the most powerful offshore wind systems in the world. Engineers believe it will be more efficient and generate more energy than the smaller turbines usually found closer to shore.

The turbine sits on a semi-submersible floating platform that is about 265 feet (80.82 meters) long and 299 feet (91 meters) wide. Weighing around 24,100 tons, the platform is stable enough to support the large turbine in open sea conditions.

Unlike traditional systems that are anchored directly to the seabed, this platform is held in place by nine suction anchors. These work together with strong polyester fiber cables and anchor chains to keep the turbine steady.

This setup lets the system adjust to waves and currents while staying stable. It also makes it possible to use offshore wind in places where fixed-bottom turbines cannot be installed because of deep water or tricky seabed conditions.

Advanced mooring and monitoring systems introduced

Engineers behind the project introduced several new technologies to handle extreme marine environments. These include a newly designed mooring system, a dynamic monitoring system, and an active ballast system.

“To deal with the harsh sea conditions, our team has developed and applied a new mooring system, a dynamic monitoring system, an active ballast system, and 66 kV dynamic submarine cables for the first time in China,” said Pan Hongguan, an offshore wind power engineer from the Guangdong Branch of China Three Gorges Corporation (CTG).

The mooring system combines polyester cables with traditional anchor chains. According to Pan, this hybrid design enhances the system’s flexibility and mechanical performance.

“The new mooring system combines polyester cable and anchor chain, which is like adding a ‘spring’ to the middle of the system, to deliver superior mechanical performance.”

This design helps absorb forces from waves and wind, reducing stress on the structure and extending operational life.

Long journey and power output expectations

The turbine was first fully assembled at Tieshan Port in Beihai, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. After that, it was towed a long way across the Qiongzhou Strait to its final site near Yangjiang.

Once operational, the turbine is expected to generate about 44.65 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. That output is sufficient to power approximately 24,000 households each year.