The journey begins:

Follow the assembly of our largest offshore turbine through the team behind the scenes

SG 14-236 DD PROTOTYPE | SERIES

Brande / 11 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 in installation at the Danish national test center for large wind turbines in Oesterild.

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 fourth episode of the series the blades have left the Aalborg´s factory and are on their way to the test site.
In this sixth episode of the series the SG 14-236 DD prototype has produced its first power.
The SG 14-236 DD features a 236-meter diameter rotor, with an astounding 43,500 m2 swept area (approximately the size of 6.1 standard football pitches!). A few days ago, the nacelle of the very first specimen of this model left the factory and started its journey to the site where the crew is working to get everything ready to install this great machine. Transporting such large components is a challenging and complex exercise.

Andre Dalby, Project Manager at Siemens Gamesa, is one of the people involved in this project. He is responsible for the backend module and his role is to make sure that his team is developing the best mechanical solution for the nacelle. In this first episode of the series, we talk with him about his learnings and main expectations for the future. 

What does it mean for you and for the project that the prototype is now ready for installation? 
The erection of the prototype is in my view one of the most exciting milestones. It is the culmination of a year’s development, starting with simple sketches to a fully designed nacelle, and you can see our teams’ efforts in all the details. Seeing everything we have developed together being assembled is just amazing. Even more so when we will soon see it producing green power for the future.

Can you let us in on some of the secrets behind developing a new machine, like the SG 14-236 DD?  
The biggest secret behind the SG 14-236 DD is team spirit at all levels. In this project, we feel like one big team. For me – and I can see it in others as well – that means that we have a great deal of transparency and work together based on a common foundation. Of course, we also get challenging deadlines which puts the team under pressure. However, we always manage to find common ground. And from there on, we find the best solution, also sometimes solutions we didn’t believe were possible.  
A few words on the future?   
This turbine for me represents the essence of what we do: a cleaner world for future generations. The SG 14-236 DD is the largest turbine we have ever made. It will be instrumental for our future and will be a massive contributor to the world’s energy transition. With only 90 of these SG 14-236 DD offshore wind turbines, we could cover the annual electricity consumption of a city the size of Amsterdam in The Netherlands! 

The full journey in images


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