List of The 11 Tallest Wind Turbines in The World

Wind power is one of the fastest-growing sources of renewable energy globally, which means we are likely to see more wind turbines in the future.

Most energy companies are building bigger wind turbines to maximize production in low-wind capacity areas. Some can deliver up to 10 megawatts, while some only deliver less than 5MW.

In engineering, bigger rotor blades should be installed on larger platforms to ensure stability. We are going to look at the tallest wind turbines in the world.

1. Vestas V236-15.0 MW – 280m

The V236-15.0 is known to be one of the tallest and most powerful wind turbines ever to be produced.

This massive 280-meter structure can produce over 80 GWh of power yearly to 20,000 European homes. It has a 43,743 m² swept area and a 25-year lifespan.

The rotor diameter is 236 meters, with blades reaching 115.5 meters. This design aims at maximizing power production in regions with high winds.

2. GE Haliade-X 14MW – 260m

General Electric installed the first Haliade-X 14MW in October 2021 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. This is the first company to build a turbine that can release around 14MW energy.

The rotor is 220 meters wide with 107-meter blades. This brings the overall structure height of this wind turbine to about 260 meters above the ground.

This turbine is also believed to generate over 74 GWh of energy yearly, saving up around 52,000mtp of Carbon. This is like removing 11,000 cars from the road.

3. SG 14-236 DD – Siemens Gamesa – 260m

The SG 14-236 DD is the largest offshore wind turbine built by Siemens Gamesa. This wind turbine can produce up to 14 Megawatts and 15 megawatts with its Power Boost Function.

It has a bigger rotor diameter of 236 meters with a swept area of 43,500 square meters.

It stands at around 260 meters high with an annual energy production 30 percent higher than the SG 11.0-200 DD.

4. Areva 8MW Wind Turbine – 250m

Areva 8MW wind turbine was built by a French energy company and was launched in November 2013. It is also the third-biggest wind turbine in the world by capacity.

It is a typical three-blade offshore turbine standing at 250 meters high with a 180-meter diameter rotor producing around 8 megawatts at an average of 12m/s wind speed.

5. Max Bögl Wind AG – 245m

The fifth-tallest wind turbine in the world is in the German town of Gaildorf in Stuttgart. The massive structure has a 178-meter hub, bringing the total height to 246.5 meters.

This set the new global record with the turbine also featuring a unique power plant concept (the water battery).

The wind turbine’s foundation is a water reservoir, and the high hub height ensures less wind turbulence and more wind yield for such locations that receive low wind.

6. SeaTitan 10MW Wind Turbine – 225m

The SeaTitan 10MW wind turbine was built by AMSC, an American energy technologies company, and is considered one of the tallest wind turbines worldwide.

The entire structure is 225 meters high and is a direct-drive-turbine. It has a 190-meter rotor diameter with a power rating of 10MW.

The hub height is 125m and includes a high-temperature superconductor (HTS) generator with a maximum speed of 10rpm. This makes the turbine lighter and smaller than conventional wind turbine generators.

7. Vestas V164-8.0 MW – 220m

Vestas yet again features on the list of the tallest wind turbines globally with the V164-8.0 MW. This 220-meter structure has a power production of 8MW with a rotor diameter of 164 meters.

This wind turbine is considered the fourth-biggest wind turbine globally. It operates offshore and has a swept area of over 21,000 square meters.

It has three blades, each measuring 80 meters weighing 35 tons. The prototype was installed at the Danish national test center in 2014.

8. Sway Turbine ST10 – 205m

The ST10 offshore wind turbine by the Norwegian tech company Sway is among the most powerful turbines globally.

The 205-meter structure can deliver a power output of 10MW with a 164m diameter-rotor and 67-meter long blades. It has a 2rpm nominal speed and was developed from 2005 to 2012.

These long blades are placed on an A-frame support structure connected by the generator rotor’s outer rim.

The Sway Turbine ST10 has opened ways for many companies to start producing 10MW wind turbines.

9. Enercon E-126 – 198m

The Enercon E-126 wind turbine was installed in 2007 by the German company Enercon. It is one of the world’s massive turbines and one of the tallest.

It has a hub height of 135 meters and a 127-meter diameter rotor that provides a 12,668 square meter swept area.

This 198-meter gigantic structure can rotate to speeds of between 5rpm and 11.7rpm.

10. Samsung S7.0-171 – 196m

Samsung Heavy Industries installed the Samsung S7.0-171 wind turbine in 2013, making it one of the tallest and biggest wind turbines globally.

The rotor has a diameter of around 171 meters with a rated capacity of 7 megawatts. The 196-meter tall structure has a swept area of 23,020 square meters and a 110-meter hub height.

Each blade on this three-blade turbine is 83.5 meters long. Other notable features include a permanent magnet generator and a planet flexpin gearbox.

11. Sinovel SL6000 – 190m

Sinovel, China’s famous turbine manufacturer, built one of the world’s tallest and most powerful wind turbines.

The SL6000 has an energy production of 6M and is designed to be installed offshore. The rotor has a diameter of 128 meters with a swept area of 12,868 square meters.

It is estimated to be e190 meters tall and the first 6MW Chinese turbine to be built by a domestic company.