Nordex unveils 3.6MW turbine

GERMANY: Nordex will release two versions of a new 3.6MW turbine at the WindEnergy Hamburg event in Germany next month.

Nordex has increased output of its 3MW platform to 3.6MW

The N131/3600 low-wind turbine and the N117/3600 moderate-wind turbine will generate 12% higher yields than the 3MW predecessors, Nordex said.

Nordex's turbine portfolio also includes a range of 3.3MW turbines.

The prototype 3.6MW turbines are expected to be installed before the end of 2016, the firm said, with manufacturing ramp-up and certification expected in 2017.

Company CEO Lars Krogsgaard said: "By 2018 we at Nordex want to reduce the cost of energy by 18%. These two turbines represent a major step in this direction as ultimately they make wind-generated electricity more profitable."

This would be the second upgrade of the platform in a year by Nordex. In September 2015, it unveiled the uprated N131/3300 turbine at Husum Wind 2015

Each turbine will be made available on a range of tower heights, the manufacturer said, as it begins certifying a 141-metre tower for IEC II wind class sites.

"The company therefore offers the N131/3600 with tower heights of 84 to 112 metres, and for Scandinavia, up to 134 metres. The N117/3600 is available with tower heights from 91 to 141 metres," Nordex said.

Nordex claims to hold the record for the world's tallest turbine. In June, it installed an N131 3.3MW turbine on a 164-metre tower, resulting a 230-metre tip height.