On April 16, Windey Energy Technology Group unveiled its next-generation onshore high-power wind turbine unit, the WD230-11500. This model is currently the world’s largest onshore wind turbine unit in terms of unit capacity to have obtained IEC RE certification. It has simultaneously received a bankability report issued by UL Solutions (referred to as “UL”). This milestone marks a critical breakthrough for China’s large-megawatt onshore wind turbines in terms of international market access and the development of a credible financing framework.
The WD230-11500 is Windey’s flagship product developed for overseas desert and wilderness environments as well as high-wind-speed large-base scenarios. IECRE certification, as the renewable energy equipment certification system of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), serves as a key qualification for international project tenders. This certification not only sets a new record for onshore turbine capacity under this system but also provides project owners with internationally recognized reliability assurance. More importantly, the UL Bankability Assessment Report comprehensively validates technical maturity, power generation forecasting accuracy, and financial model robustness, and has gained recognition from multiple international banks. This report has become a core basis for decision-making by banks, insurance institutions, and investors, effectively lowering the financing threshold for overseas projects and accelerating the global expansion of Chinese wind turbines.
In terms of technical performance, the WD230-11500 demonstrates significant economic advantages. According to Windey’s operational data from a test wind farm in the Three-North Region with medium-to-high wind speeds (annual average wind speed of 8.25 m/s), the annual power generation per turbine unit has increased by more than 10% compared to the previous generation, which is sufficient to meet the annual electricity demand of approximately 8,500 households. Thanks to this leap in power generation efficiency, the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) per project has dropped by about 30%, to approximately RMB 0.1 per kWh, substantially improving the return on investment.
To support this level of performance, Windey has implemented significant innovations in materials and engineering solutions. This model utilizes a hybrid carbon/glass fiber blade technology, reducing blade weight by 15% and improving aerodynamic performance by 10%. Combined with a newly developed medium-to-high wind speed airfoil design, the overall power generation capacity of the turbine is increased by 10% to 15%. In terms of transportation and lifting, addressing the logistical constraints of complex terrains such as deserts and wilderness, the nacelle features a modular design that limits maximum transport weight to within 100 tons and keeps transport height below 5 meters. Additionally, a single-blade lifting solution is introduced, reducing the lifting workspace by 66%, thereby effectively lowering land acquisition costs for infrastructure and mitigating construction risks.
“The launch of the WD230-11500 model is not merely a technological iteration, but a reshaping of the economic boundaries of onshore wind power,” said Wei Min, Deputy General Manager of Windey Energy Technology Group. “With the dual assurance of IECRE Type Certification and the UL Bankability Report, we can not only deliver bankable solutions for large-scale overseas projects in regions such as the Middle East and North Africa, Central Asia, and Latin America, but also, through a competitive levelized cost of energy, position Chinese wind power as one of the most competitive energy sources worldwide.
