MHI's 2.4 MW wind turbine MWT92/2.4

The MWT92/2.4 is strategically targeted at global markets for large-scale wind turbine power generation. MHI proprietarily developed the machine and verified its performance and reliability through testing since January this year using an actual production model built at the Kanazawa plant of MHI's Yokohama Dockyard & Machinery Works.

The MWT92/2.4 is Japan's largest wind turbine in terms of both rotor diameter and rated output. With a tower height of 70 meters and a rotor diameter of 92 meters, the highest point reached by the blade tips is 116 meters above ground. Adopting 44.7-meter-long blades, the longest in its class, the MWT92/2.4 is capable of efficiently generating electricity even at modest wind velocity (about 8.5 m/sec). At the same time, the machine adopts MHI's proprietary "Smart Yaw" technology to fend off occasional gusty strong winds and withstand hurricane-force wind velocities up to 70m/sec.

PPM Energy, headquartered in Portland, Oregon, is a member of the ScottishPower group of companies. It operates in the U.S. Midwest and Canada in the areas of natural gas-fired power generation, electricity wholesaling and natural gas storage, in addition to wind power generation. The company already has 831 MW wind power generation capacity and is now promoting a new project to boost capacity further by more than 1,900 MW.

For the MWT92/2.4 wind turbines to be used in PPM Energy's new project, MHI will manufacture the nacelles, the main structural components. MPSA will procure turbine blades and wind turbine towers from VienTek, LLC and Bergen Southwest Steel, respectively. Installation and civil engineering work at the site will be performed by local companies. The wind farm is scheduled to go on-stream by the end of 2008.

MHI estimates that operation of 42 units of the MWT92/2.4 will generate 252,000 MWh/year, enough electricity to serve the needs of roughly 50,400 typical households in Japan. Wind power generation also enables reductions in fossil energy consumption and CO₂ emissions. To supply the equivalent amount of power by burning fossil fuels would require some 58,800 kiloliters of crude oil per year, approximately equal to 300,000 oil drums. The resulting reduction in CO₂ emissions is estimated at 176,400 tons.

Utilization of wind power has been rapidly expanding globally as a mainstream renewable power generation method that prevents global warming. Simultaneously, in pursuing power generation efficiency, the size and generation capacity of the systems are steadily becoming larger. Large-size equipment requires special handling in transport and construction, including use of large-size cranes. MHI's MWT92/2.4 is designed to lighten some of these burdens through measures including the adoption of tri-partitioning of the nacelles. On the strength of the latest order, MHI will now conduct aggressive marketing activities in the rapidly growing market for large-size wind turbines.