IE 11 Not Supported

For optimal browsing, we recommend Chrome, Firefox or Safari browsers.

How many homes can the world’s largest wind turbines power?

Answer: 8,300

Harnessing the power of wind to provide energy has long been a big idea in renewable resources — and it’s now even bigger.

Danish company MHI Vestas specializes in huge offshore wind turbines, the largest of which can produce 9.5 megawatts of energy on its own, which is enough to power more than 8,000 homes in the U.K., where it is located. The enormous V164-9.5 MW turbine has 73-foot blades each weighing about 77,000 pounds.

The company says the mega-turbine will reduce operational and maintenance costs for customers because they will be able to run fewer turbines overall to achieve the same power output.

 

Lauren Kinkade is the managing editor for Government Technology magazine. She has a degree in English from the University of California, Berkeley, and more than 15 years’ experience in book and magazine publishing.