'I couldn’t imagine working with anything else other than wind turbines!'

SG 14-236 DD PROTOTYPE | SERIES

Brande / 26 October 2022

Developing wind technology is not just what we do, it is part of who we are. Built on sound technology, the first prototype of the SG 14-236 DD – the newest member to the Siemens Gamesa offshore wind turbine family – is now being installed at the Danish national test center for large wind turbines in Osterild.

In this series we celebrate the talent behind the machine. Through some of the people on the team we invite you to take a look behind the scenes and learn more about how we assemble one of the largest turbines on earth!

Communication Specialist
SG 14-236 DD series: The journey of an offshore prototype
In the first episode of the series we followed the nacelle on its way to the test site.
In the second episode of the series we interviewed Sandra Them, technical product manager for the SG 14-236 DD, during the installation of the last tower section.
In the third episode of the series the nacelle has been installed and placed on top of the tower, a major exercise referred to as ‘the big lift’.
In this fourth episode of the series the blades have left the Aalborg´s factory and are on their way to the test site.
In this fifth episode of the series the prototype wind turbine is fully installed.
In this sixth episode of the series the SG 14-236 DD prototype has produced its first power.
The installation of the SG 14-236 DD prototype continues on its path. A couple of weeks ago, we followed the nacelle on its way to the test site, marking the beginning of the journey. In this second episode of the series, we talk to Sandra Them, technical product manager for the SG 14-236 DD, as the team completes the installation of the last tower section, making it ready for turbine installation.

Sandra joined Siemens Gamesa ten years ago and has been involved in the development of various offshore turbines. She is now responsible for creating the requirement specification for the SG 14-236 DD, to follow the development project and align with the Sales colleagues. “I am grateful to work with skilled people every day to develop and introduce a product to the market that can provide green energy for generations to come”, she explains.

The installation of the new SG 14-236 DD prototype is a very exciting moment for the whole team, as they finally see the product they have been working on for so long become a reality. “I couldn’t imagine working with anything else other than wind turbines. It is so impressive, complex and exciting!”, she highlights.

What does it mean for the project that the prototype is now ready for installation?  
It is a very important and exciting milestone. The parts for the prototype are now assembled, we have aligned on the findings that came up during this phase, as well as agreed on how and when to solve them. It is important that we get as many learnings from the prototype as possible, and that goes both for design and documentation to make sure that when we start serial production, the quality of the product as well as – more importantly – the safety of all colleagues working with it – is living up to the highest standards.  

Now the installation phase has started, and the tower is fully installed. In this phase we again align on findings, we verify that we have all equipment, tools and documentation for the installation of the prototype to make sure we can install in a safe way both the prototype and later on customer projects. I am so proud of the entire team and how we have worked together throughout this project. It will be an exciting moment when the turbine is fully installed!

A few words on the future?  
The wind industry has a good future ahead and the SG 14-236 DD is a part of it. SG 14-236 DD is a step in a row of wind turbine generations –its design is basically based on maturing technologies.

In fact, the SG 14-222 DD, which is the immediate previous model and whose first prototype we installed exactly one year ago, has just beat a world record! Last October 6th, Our SG 14-222 DD offshore wind turbine prototype, which is the world's largest in operation, produced 359 megawatt-hours within a 24-hour time period. This is equal to the amount of energy needed to drive 1.8 million kilometers in a mid-sized electric car.

And the new SG 14-236 DD will not the end of it. Since first introducing our offshore Direct Drive technology, we have developed our turbines to meet the needs of our customers. Step by step development of proven technology I believe will drive the offshore wind industry to whole new levels.

The full journey in images


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