Envision Energy has launched its EN-252/16.7 offshore wind turbine, a 16.7 MW machine designed for high-wind environments and international offshore wind markets.
Envision said that for a gigawatt-scale offshore wind project, the turbine could increase annual energy production by around 1-2% while reducing the number of turbines required by about 10% compared with currently available turbines.
The turbine can also be uprated for suitable sites, potentially allowing developers to further reduce turbine numbers and capital expenditure.
"The next phase of offshore wind is not simply about increasing turbine scale.
The real value of scale lies in how effectively it translates into higher energy production, greater reliability and stronger economics across the project lifecycle," said Christian Schrimpf, executive vice president of offshore wind at Envision Energy.
Envision Energy has launched its EN-252/16.7 offshore wind turbine, a 16.7 MW machine designed for high-wind environments and international offshore wind markets. The turbine is based on Envision's Model Z platform, which has been operational since 2023. The company said the new turbine combines a high-performance rotor with an integrated powertrain, advanced grid and safety capabilities, and AI-based lifecycle monitoring to improve energy generation, reliability and project economics.
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The EN-252/16.7 has a swept-area-to-power ratio of about 2.99 square metres per kW. Envision said that for a gigawatt-scale offshore wind project, the turbine could increase annual energy production by around 1-2% while reducing the number of turbines required by about 10% compared with currently available turbines.
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Lower LCOE Expected
Depending on site conditions and project configuration, these improvements could lower the levelised cost of energy (LCOE) by an estimated 2-4%, the company said. The turbine can also be uprated for suitable sites, potentially allowing developers to further reduce turbine numbers and capital expenditure.
"The next phase of offshore wind is not simply about increasing turbine scale. The real value of scale lies in how effectively it translates into higher energy production, greater reliability and stronger economics across the project lifecycle," said Christian Schrimpf, executive vice president of offshore wind at Envision Energy.
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The company said the turbine has undergone component- and system-level validation at its in-house testing facilities. This includes drivetrain loading tests and more than 600 hours of highly accelerated life testing for the drivetrain.
Envision is also relying on its vertically integrated component manufacturing capabilities. The company said it has experience across around 12,000 gearboxes, 12,000 main-bearing sets, 25,000 blade sets, 23,000 generators and 28,000 converters.
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Extreme Offshore Sites Planned
The EN-252/16.7 is designed to operate under extreme offshore conditions. It can withstand a 10-minute average extreme wind speed of up to 58.5 metres per second and a three-second gust of up to 82 metres per second under a once-in-50-year event scenario.
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The turbine also incorporates grid-forming controls, black-start capability and systems designed to support stable operation under weak-grid and grid-fault conditions. Envision said integration with its battery energy storage systems (BESS) can provide backup power to critical turbine and safety functions when external grid power is unavailable, including during severe storms and pre-commissioning.
For lifecycle operations, the turbine uses Envision's Galileo AI platform for condition monitoring and fault detection. The system has been commercially deployed across more than 20,000 turbines since 2020 and uses more than 30 functional models to monitor major components and failure modes.
According to Envision, Galileo can generate early-warning reports around one to six months ahead of potential issues, depending on the operating condition. The company said this can help operators plan maintenance earlier and reduce unplanned interventions and lifecycle operating expenditure. The EN-252/16.7 also features an AI-turbine interface, which Envision said is intended to support future upgrades and the development of more automated turbine operations.
