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Summary
- General Electric (GE) produced a unique wind turbine in Rotterdam, the Netherlands which can generate electricity for 12,000 households.
- The novel turbine is still a prototype for the actual design but has already exceeded professionals' expectations due to its size and strength.
- Investors are highly interested in wind turbine development, as engineers are racing to build the most powerful wind turbine for futuristic sustainability.
An American conglomerate, General Electric (GE) has manufactured a massive wind turbine prototype in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, currently thought to be the largest in the market.
The new turbine's rotor length is larger than a couple of American football fields. Later on, GE announced that models would be taller than most skyscrapers in Western Europe as the production progresses further.
The machine, located in Rotterdam, can record wind speed and measure electricity output. However, the wind turbine is still a prototype model. But if it becomes a commercial success, it can change the whole renewable energy industry.
How is the new turbine different from those that already exist?
Experts have stated that the new wind turbine is the front-runner in the renewable energy business.
Namely, it is believed that the model can produce three times more energy than any other existing technology. The significant development has also boosted investments and expansions in the sustainable energy business.
Image Source: Shutterstock
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What are the features of the wind turbine?
The wind turbine is as strong as four Boeing 747 jet engines. As a comparison, an aeroplane can accommodate hundreds of passengers during long-hour flights.
In the future, one turbine will be able to produce 13 megawatts (MW) of power, which is equivalent to supply electricity to a small town of 12,000 households.
Turbine developers realised that wind technology is more effective in water than on land. When placed in seas and oceans, wind turbines can get more powerful gusts of wind.
The ongoing race in renewable energy remains popular within engineers and investors. GE has already created wind machines which can produce almost 30 times more energy than wind turbines from the 1990s.
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What are the future expectations?
Professionals in the field are optimistic that the industry will demand more giant wind turbines in the future, which will be able to generate more energy and profit.
The wind turbine industry is also expected to rise significantly, compared to the current statistics of having only five per cent stake in the whole wind business. The overall industry has generated around US$26 billion in the last ten years.
In the previous three decades, Northern Europe has been the most advanced and famous region for wind turbines. However, the US, Taiwan, South Korea, and China have also expressed a high demand for wind energy projects.
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GE defied expert opinions which doubted the company’s ability to produce high-quality turbines. GE has sold many turbines and signed multiple contracts with investors. In December, the company signed preliminary agreements with the US and the British companies to supply more than 300 wind turbines.