The trio of blades for Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy’s (SGRE) first 11MW offshore wind turbine, the SG11.0-193DD Flex, are on their way to Denmark’s national testing centre in Osterild, to join other components that will make up the OEM’s top-of-the-line prototype.

The carbon-reinforced 94-metre-long B94 integral blades, fabricated in the OEM’s Aalborg facility, will be flown by a digitally souped-up version of the OEM’s recently launched 10MW SG10.0-193DD, using so-called ‘DD Flex’ technology to squeeze another 6-7% annual energy production out of the ultra-large nameplate machine.

As revealed exclusively to Recharge by SGRE head of offshore technology Morten Pilgaard Rasmussen in November, the 11MW model will employ intelligent control systems to tailor everything from rotor-yaw and blade-pitch to “using the whole turbine structure more efficiently” to run the turbine “closer to its limits”.

Developer Vattenfall has ordered the turbines for its Hollandse Kust South 1 to 4 projects off the Netherlands

The 10MW model, which SGRE CEO Markus Tacke told Recharge exclusively last year was designed to serve to "bridge market demand”, will be followed by the OEM’s “true step change” offshore turbine design, the as-yet-unnameplated ‘1X’ platform, slated to be in showrooms in 2024-25.